Crowds line streets to bid Stephen Sutton farewell

In Stephen Sutton's home town, decorated with a plethora yellow ribbons, people spilled out onto residential streets to see off their neighbour and friend on his penultimate journey.

Drawn by four white horses resplendent in yellow headdresses, Stephen's coffin slowly passed through the maze of roads of his home town which he had trod a thousand times.

Everywhere the cortège went people stopped, to wave, clap and give the thumbs up which his fundraising drive became associated with. It took nearly an hour to make the five-mile journey to Lichfield Cathedral.

In The Close, hundreds ofpacked onto the green in the shadows of the medieval cathedral's three spires.

The sombre hush was broken by the sound of horses' hooves. A grand crescendo of applause followed, reverberating of the stunning cathedral façade.

A bright yellow wreath bearing the icon of a smiley face lay beside the white coffin.

At the stroke of 7pm as the bells struck, Stephen's family entered the building where the 19-year-old is lying in a place of honour in the centre of the nave which has been draped with roses, carnations and gerberas.

His body will rest their until tomorrow, after his family requested the public be allowed to celebrate the life of a young man who had urged people to live their lives to the fullest.

Five hundred filled the cathedral with scores more lined up outside as an opening service to the two-day vigil got underway.

The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, told the gathered mourners that Stephen 'in his all too brief life' had taught 'how to make the unacceptable, beautiful'.

"He chose to share his exuberance with us, not his pain," he added. "Stephen showed the sheer joy of existence in everything he touched, from being an A-star student at school with hopes of a career in medicine, to playing football, running cross country or playing the drums with his band Nothing Personal.

"He's been an inspiration and we all want to share in the sense of grateful, hopeful possibility."

Of Stephen, he said: "He was one of those very rare people who've helped us live our lives with generosity."

Turning to the purpose of the vigil, he added: "Rituals and gestures don't change the world by themselves. But they can change us, and we can change the world."

Julia Hayburn, assistant headteacher at Stephen's former school, Chase Terrace Technology College, told of how, when he was first diagnosed, the "determined" teenager's immediate reaction was to call a meeting with teachers because he refused to take doctors' advice to 'forget his Year 11 study'. Instead he would go on to complete his GCSEs and AS-levels, she added.

"Words like awesome, awe-inspiring and inspirational became synonymous with Stephen – but they only touched the surface of what he has become on a national and international scale," said Mrs Hayburn.

Following the end of the formal portion of the service, the Dean invited the congregation to do five things in turn, including signing the books of condolence, lighting a candle, and giving the "thumbs-up" sign that has become synonymous with the teenager's campaign Among them were Stephen's mother Jane Sutton and his brother Chris who shared a smile, through tears, as they raised their digits to the white coffin on top of the stone dais, surrounded by yellow and white flowers.

As a seemingly endless stream of mourners then took their place to honour Stephen, a 38-minute record of the brave campaigner's favourite music played out. Among the tracks was You've Got A Friend In Me, by Randy Newman - made famous as the soundtrack to Disney's Toy Story.

Following the two-day vigil ending tomorrow afternoon, Stephen's family are to hold a private funeral where they will say their final goodbyes.