Queen's funeral an atmosphere I'll never forget, says Leeds campaigner

Tina Leslie founded the Freedom4Girls charity

A charity campaigner appointed an MBE in the Jubilee Birthday Honours has said attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II was surreal.

Tina Leslie, from Leeds, founded the Freedom4Girls charity in 2016 to improve access to sanitary products for women in the UK, Uganda and Kenya.

Ms Leslie said being surrounded by so many dignitaries "was amazing".

"As soon as the service began everything changed, went cold, an atmosphere I won't forget," she said.

"People were in awe of the whole thing and Westminster Abbey, it was such an honour to be there," she added.

On top of Her Majesty's coffin was a wreath, the Imperial State Crown, and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre

Ms Leslie said it had been "awesome" to have the work of the charity recognised by the Queen who was "a people person and recognised there were serious period poverty issues in the world".

She said the atmosphere in Westminster Abbey was "just electric - people were in awe of the whole thing".

Nancy O'Neill was made an MBE for her work as a nurse

Meanwhile, Nancy O'Neill, 60, from Bradford who was made an MBE as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours for her work as a nurse, said being invited to the funeral was "unbelievable" and "utterly amazing".

"I never in my life expected to be invited to anything like that," she said.

"I didn't expect it to be as spectacular as it was. You could feel the weight of history and to feel you were part of making history was very special," she added.

Ms O'Neill said from inside the abbey she had heard the pipers and drummers approaching "faintly and then louder and louder until they were right outside the door".

"The most memorable moment was that lone piper on the balcony. I don't think I'll ever hear anything like that again in my lifetime," she said.

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