Tunisia attack: Funerals held for eight UK victims
- Published
Adrian Evans, Patrick Evans and Joel Richards were on a family holiday
Tributes have been paid to victims of the Tunisia terror attack at funerals for eight of the UK dead.
Among Friday's ceremonies was a joint funeral for three members of the same family; Adrian Evans, 49, his nephew Joel Richards, 19, and father Charles (known as Patrick) Evans, 78,
The funerals of Sue Davey, Carly Lovett, Janet and John Stocker, and Bruce Wilkinson also took place.
From the 38 killed in the attack near Sousse, 30 were from the UK.
The Foreign Office has since asked all British nationals to leave Tunisia and a state of emergency has been declared in the north African country.
A service of remembrance for all those caught up in the 26 June beach attack will be held in the autumn, the government has announced, external, and a memorial dedicated to them will be built.
Adrian Evans, 49, his nephew Joel Richards, 19, and father Charles (known as Patrick) Evans, 78 died in the attack
Hundreds gathered to pay respects to Sue Davey
The funeral for the three members of the Evans and Richards families took place in West Bromwich.
Hundreds of mourners gathered inside the church, with more paying respects outside as the coffins arrived.
Adrian Evans, a council worker from Tipton, his father, who had worked as a general manager at Newby Foundries for 33 years, and teenage nephew, from Wednesbury, had just arrived in Tunisia when they were killed.
They were all Walsall FC fans and scarves were laid outside the club's stadium following their deaths. There will be a private cremation and private event at the club's ground.
Joel Richards, 19, was on holiday with his uncle Adrian Evans and Charles Evans when he was killed
Patrick Evans, Joel Richards and Adrian Evans pictured on the plane heading to Tunisia
Mr Richards was a local football referee and a student at the University of Worcester. His brother Owen, 16, survived the attack.
The service heard that Adrian Evans was a "talented and strong man" who "had a clarity of purpose and vision".
Mike Penn from the FA described Mr Richards as "a handsome young man" and said "no job was too small for him". He said the teenager qualified as a referee in 2011 at the age of 16 and praised his progress as "nothing short of remarkable".
At the scene
By Andrew Dawkins, BBC News
There was warm applause in the sunshine from hundreds of people standing outside Holy Cross church in West Bromwich as the hearses left after the funeral for Adrian Evans, his nephew Joel Richards and father Patrick Evans.
They had also been invited to take part in a minute's applause in the service itself, during which family friend Mandy Churchill described the family as a "true definition of what a close-knit family was all about".
Some flowers placed outside the church were in the shape of red and white footballs, representing the men's support for Walsall FC.
About 200 people were estimated to be outside with another 400 inside.
Mourners stood silently outside as music was heard from inside the church as the service ended.
A service was also held in Gainsborough for 24-year-old graduate Ms Lovett.
The beauty blogger and photographer had recently got engaged.
Fiance Liam Moore told around 350 mourners the couple had told each other they loved one another after she had been injured.
Carly Lovett had recently got engaged
"She told me that she loved me, I told her that I loved her," he said. "I hope that she took comfort in knowing that I was there with her. I would never have left her as she would never have left me."
Canon Mike Cooney said: "We're going to remember the bright, talented, creative, very positive, funny, lovely and caring person she really was."
Sue Davey and her partner Scott Chalkley were both killed
John and Janet Stocker had five children and 10 grandchildren
A service of thanksgiving for Ms Davey, 43, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was held in her home town. Ms Davey had been on holiday with her partner Scott Chalkley, 42, who was also killed.
The daughters and son of mother of three Ms Davey walked behind her coffin, which was carried by a horse-drawn carriage to her funeral.
Speaking at the service, her son Conor Fulford described her as a "very special person".
He said a "gaping hole" had been left by her death.
A joint funeral for Janet and John Stocker, from Morden, Surrey, took place at Putney Vale Crematorium in south-west London.
Mrs Stocker, 63, and her 74-year-old husband had five children and 10 grandchildren.
They have been described by their family as the "happiest, most loving couple who enjoyed life's simple pleasures as well as the pleasures and love of their extensive family and their many friends", and who were "very much in love with each other".
Bruce Wilkinson had previously visited Tunisia with his wife Rita
The funeral of Bruce Wilkinson, 72, from Goole, East Riding, took place in the town.
He was retired, having worked at Drax power station, and has been described by his family as a "kind and compassionate man" who was a "devoted husband, father and grandfather".