Funeral tributes to tragic Nicola

More than a hundred mourners gathered at St Augustine's Church, in Larchfield Street, Darlington, for an emotional funeral service led by Father Michael Higginbottom.

The service came almost two weeks after police found Nicola's body at her parents' home in Winchester Way, Darlington.

Yesterday, her short life was remembered by her friends, family, and colleagues as one full of happiness and potential.

The flower-covered coffin was brought in to the church as the congregation sang the first of the hymns in the 45-minute service, Lord Of All Hopefulness.

The service also featured readings and the hymns The Lord's My Shepherd and Thine Be The Glory, before Fr Higginbottom gave a moving sermon as a tribute to Nicola's life.

During the sermon, Fr Higginbottom described her as a "thoughtful, considerate and loving person, who had a wonderful sense of humour".

He said: "Tragic death, which is as sudden and horrible as Nikki's, is a bit like a black-out.

"One minute the sun is shining, the next minute it is dark night.

"Without any warning and with no time to prepare ourselves, we are immersed in darkness.

"In a few seconds of time our whole world is turned upside down."

Tributes to Nicola, known affectionately as Nikki to her friends, came from her work colleagues at mobile telephone company Orange, where she had worked for the past six years.

One tribute by a former colleague, which was sent to Nicola's parents, Mike and Gina, and her brother Christopher, read: "I had the pleasure of working with Nikki, and I wanted you to know that we are totally devastated at her loss.

"We are a very close team and the feeling we have will be there for a very long time."

A 30-year-old Darlington man appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday charged with the murder of Nicola Gina Impett.

Anthony Keith Hilton, of Sparrow Hall Drive, was remanded in custody until November 2.