ANGUISH etched across his face, the fiance of a North-East woman killed by a terrorist bomb left hospital to say a final goodbye yesterday.

Stephen Stables left hospital in a wheelchair for only a few hours to join family and friends of Helyn Bennett as they said their farewells to the 21-year-old.

With tears rolling down his face, Mr Stables, 23, who was badly injured in the explosion in Turkey, followed the funeral procession in a wheelchair.

About 250 mourners packed St Paul's Church, a few streets away from Miss Bennett's home in Spennymoor, County Durham, for yesterday's service.

Her devastated mother, Sharon, and stepfather, Tom Holden, spoke of their grief at losing their "beautiful, bubbly" daughter who was "so much in love with Stephen".

Among the dozens of floral tributes that filled two funeral cars, there lay a card that read: "To Our Helyn (Hells Bells). Love you always, see you in heaven. Keep us a heavenly cocktail, Mom and Tom (Dad)."

Soon after the 35-minute service, Mr Stables is understood to have returned to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, where he is still undergoing treatment.

The Durham University porter sustained head injuries, shrapnel wounds and a broken leg in the blast.

It was several days after the terrorist attack that he was told of his partner's death because Turkish doctors feared the news would hinder his recovery.

Mr Stables' return to Spennymoor was especially heartbreaking because it should have been a happy occasion for the couple. They had been living with Miss Bennett's parents while they saved money for a new house in the town, which they planned to move into soon after their first holiday abroad together.

Miss Bennett, a trainee chef at the University Hospital of North Durham, was one of five people killed as a result of the attack on July 16.

She had been enjoying a holiday with Mr Stables and several members of her extended family when horror struck.

Six members of the party had been travelling on a minibus to the beach when a suicide bomber blew the vehicle apart.

Turkish authorities believe that Kurdish separatists, the PKK guerilla group, were responsible.

Miss Bennett's brother, Adam Megoran, 16, her aunt, Toni Punshon, and cousin Sam Punshon, 14, from the Durham area, were also injured but are recovering at home and attended the funeral.

Ms Punshon had to be supported as she walked into church using crutches.

Her partner, Michael Aspinall, who sustained a fractured skull, broken ribs and wounds to the abdomen, is still very poorly four weeks after the atrocity. He continues to be cared for in a Turkish hospital.

Mr and Mrs Holden escaped travelling in the doomed bus because they decided to take a day-trip to a Greek island with another couple from the party.

* The Northern Echo observed the funeral of Helyn Bennett from outside the church with permission from her family.