A mother whose daughter plunged to her death from a cliff went ahead with an 18th birthday party in her memory yesterday.

Alison Graham is still trying to cope with the death in April of her daughter, Kimberley.

But she decided to hold the party they had planned together for Kimberley's 18th, giving friends and family an opportunity to say goodbye.

Ms Graham said: "It was a very emotional time but, at the same time, it was a celebration of Kimberley's life."

An inquest last month into Kimberley's death revealed the teenager had been drinking and taken drugs before falling 100ft to her death.

Her boyfriend of two years, Syed Islam, left her alone in a car park near Souter Lighthouse in Whitburn, South Tyneside, when the accident happened.

Ms Graham held the private party at her home with new husband Anil, children Gary, Ilona and Olivia.

She invited Kimberley's friends to take part in a firework display in the garden of her home, in South Shields.

During the event, 18 fireworks were set off consecutively at 6.15pm - to observe the birthday she never saw and the exact time Kimberley was born.

People were asked to turn up at 6pm, when a minute's silence and candle-lit memorial were held as a tribute to Kimberley.