The funeral of Aiden Brookes

Hundreds of family and friends today said a final farewell to 16-year-old Aiden Brookes, who died after part of a cave roof collapsed on him during a camping trip.

More than 400 mourners gathered at Bridgnorth’s St Mary’s Church to celebrate the life of Aiden, of Paulbrook Road, Bridgnorth, who was a pupil at Oldbury Wells School.

Colleagues from the Bridgnorth Air Training Corps were in full uniform and lined the entrance to the church. They carried in Aiden’s coffin, which was followed by his family, to a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The Reverend Angela Rogers said that Aiden’s family wanted the funeral to be a celebration of his life.

During the service, the Reverend Jackie Brown said: “When Aiden first moved here from South Africa he wasn’t very happy but when he moved to Bridgnorth and started at Oldbury Wells School he began to feel happy, although he stayed fiercely proud of being South African.

“Aiden was an excellent student who was hoping to go on to university to study chemical engineering. He passed all of his exams except for music which he studied at again until he passed.”

Friends had been asked to wear something that Aiden would like and black was optional at the service which started at 1pm. The request was made by Aiden’s mother Kirsty and father Ashley.

Aiden, who was a member of Bridgnorth Rugby Club and the Air Cadets, had been camping with about 20 friends at the Hermitage Caves in Bridgnorth on the first Sunday of the Easter holidays. He had been asleep in the cave when it partially collapsed on top of him.

Friends pulled him and 18-year-old Jess Wright, who had also been in the cave, to safety and began to try to save his life.

Paramedics arrived shortly after but nothing could be done to save Aiden.

Tributes flooded in from friends and family with Aiden’s parents, saying they were heartbroken over the loss of their “perfect gentleman” son. They described him as extremely loving, dependable, helpful and considerate.

Aiden was 10 when he moved with his mother from Durban in South Africa coming to live near Woking in Surrey.

His natural father died before he was born.

By Catherine Roche