TWO white horses drew the carriage bearing the coffin of 17-year-old Chris Cave to his final resting place.

The white carriage - brought from Dublin at the wishes of his mother, Theresa - was in keeping with a funeral organised to celebrate his life.

She said she wanted bright colours to be worn at the service in honour of his bubbly personality and short but happy life. More than 200 people, including his many friends, attended the service at St Alban's RC Church, in Redcar.

Another 150 stood silently outside with their own memories of Chris who was stabbed to death close to his mother's home, in the town's Burnmoor Close on June 5.

Floral tributes to Chris included one from his girlfriend, Louise Rigby, 18, who is pregnant with his child. It read: "All my love now and forever, Louise and the bump."

One from from his three-year-old brother, Thomas, was placed on a flower display shaped as a football. It read: "Score a goal for me in heaven. Thomas."

His mother sent a floral tribute shaped like a musical treble clef in acknowledgement of Chris's interest in music. A note said: "Simply the best. Better than all the rest."

At a requiem mass some of Chris's favourite songs - including Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers and Somewhere Over The Rainbow,by Eva Cassidy - were played.

Fr Bill Ryan paid tribute to Chris, describing him as a credit to his mother and community.

Chris was buried at Redcar Cemetery and a wake including a barbecue and fireworks was held at Theresa Cave's home.

On the eve of his funeral, Mrs Cave told of her heartbreak.

Surrounded by cards, messages of sympathy and floral tributes, she said: "I sometimes go out at four or six o'clock in the morning and I just sob and sob at the place where he was killed."

Mrs Cave also spoke of the support she has received from the community: "We have had hundreds through the door; his friends, old people, the police, people from youth clubs. They all talk about what a great lad Chris was."

* Sean Matson, 20, of Langthwaite Walk, Redcar, has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of Chris Cave.