School to arrange funeral of stabbed girl, 10

Shay Kang was fatally stabbed on 4 March and her mother has been charged with her murder

Funeral arrangements are under way for a 10-year-old girl who was stabbed to death following the formal release of her body to the headteacher of her school.

Shay Kang died in Rowley Regis, Sandwell, West Midlands, in March, and her mother was charged with murder.

Shay's godmother, Kayleigh Coclough, had campaigned for coroners to formally release the girl's body so she could be laid to rest.

The school, Brickhouse Primary, will make those arrangements, with headteacher Paul Newby saying the service will take place in early September after the summer holidays to enable as many people as possible to pay their respects.

Shay was found dead after police were called to her home shortly after midday on 4 March.

The accused, Jaskirat Kaur, also known as Jasmine Kang, has been remanded in custody.

Mr Newby said coroners had reached out to him and Carla Newby, the school's safeguarding and pastoral officer, and that they had been "given the honour of arranging [the] funeral".

Caretakers of the body, funeral directors F.P Gaunt & Sons, said a funeral procession would take place on Thursday 5 September at 10:30 BST, starting outside the school, with a service taking place at Rowley Regis Crematorium at 11:30 BST.

Shay's godmother, Kayleigh Coclough, campaigned for the 10-year-old's body to be released so she could be laid to rest

Mr Newby said the funeral might cause changes to the start of the school term, as the school would be closed on the day and the day after, to allow for an appropriate period of mourning.

Following the service, staff and parents will be invited to the school to remember Shay.

Addressing parents, the headteacher said: "Can I once again thank you for your continued support for school following this tragic event.

"Your messages of support and concern for the school [have] been so kind, and we hope that now a funeral for Shay can be arranged and held, that it will allow the healing process for us all to continue and provide comfort as she is laid to rest."

A memorial garden will be made at Shay's school in memory of the 10-year-old

Mr Newby confirmed that all money raised from a fundraising event in Shay's memory would be going towards her funeral costs, with anything left over being used to make a permanent memorial within the school estate.

In a letter to parents, he explained: "Over the summer, our memorial garden to Shay will also begin to take shape with landscaping work happening during August."

Kayleigh Coclough previously told the BBC: "I just want to be able to bury her. It keeps me awake at night.

"Me and my mom were at the birth. I was the one that cut her cord.

"She was just such a lovely child - so happy and bubbly. She was perfect.

"She was my whole world. She still is."