Six tiny white coffins were led into a church in Derby today as hundreds of people gathered for the funeral of the tragic Philpott children who were killed in house fire.
John and Jack Philpott's coffins are carried into St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Derby (Picture: SWNS)Jade Philpott, 10, died alongside her brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, when a fatal blaze tore through their Derby home in the earlier hours of May 11.
Their older brother Duwayne, 13, died two days later in Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Parents Mick, 55, and Mairead, 31, who have been charged with murdering all six children in the blaze, did not attend their funeral.
But hundreds of other friends and family packed the streets around St Mary's Catholic Church at 11am as the coffins of the youngsters arrived for the service after a poignant horse and carriage procession.
Funeral procession of Duwayne Philpott, his sister Jade and brothers John, Jack, Jessie and Jayden (Picture: S …Two horses pulled each of the six children's carriages and two black cars carrying their closest family headed the cortege as it made its way along a closed-off dual carriageway.
Decorated with pink ribbons and in a pink carriage, the body of the only girl to die in the blaze, Jade, was first.
She was followed by her five brothers - whose black carriages were covered in baby blue ribbons.
The boy's coffins, with yellow flowers on top, were also decorated with symbols including toy soldiers, Peppa Pig, and a Derby County Football Club crest.
Each of the six carriages had flowers spelling out each child's name on the side.
Duwayne Philpott's carriage (Picture: SWNS)Four pall-bearers carried each of the six children - with their step-brother Mikey Philpott, 14, leading the way with Jade's coffin.
An order of service for the hour-and-a-half long Catholic mass lead by Canon Alan Burbidge had a special page paying tribute to each of the six children.
Duwayne, a season ticket holder at Derby County FC, was described as "charming and caring young boy that was turning into a young man."
He was said to be always protective of his younger siblings.
The order of service featured a picture of all six children on the front (Picture: SWNS)Jade, a "beautiful princess", was known as the "mother hen" because of the way she always looked after her younger brothers.
She was said to be well regarded by friends and teachers alike - and loved playing dancing games on the Wii with her older sisters.
'Cheeky chappy' John was described as a polite, cheerful boy who had a fun, daredevil side.
Other tributes described Jack as 'cute' and 'cuddly', Jesse as 'crazy' and 'cheerful', and Jayden as the 'hyper-active' baby of the family.
St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Derby (Picture: SWNS)Canon Burbidge told the congregation: 'Trusting in God, we have prayed together for Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse and Jayden, and now we come to the last farewell.
'There is sadness in parting, but we take comfort in the hope that one day we shall see them again and enjoy their friendship.'
The emotional mass concluded with the song 'In The Arms Of The Angels' and the poem 'Angels On High'.
After the service, scores of mourners who had stayed outside the church watched and threw more flowers as the coffins were slowly carried back to their horse-drawn carriages.
Many were visibly upset as they watched the procession make its way to the Nottingham Road Cemetery - where there was a private service for family and friends.
Even there hundreds or mourners were in attendance standing in silence as the children's coffins went past.
After the carriages went into the cemetery and disappeared from view, some mourners stayed standing reflectively.
Local resident John Hughes, 68, who had gathered to pay his respects, said: 'Seeing them carry those six little coffins really brings it home to you.
'It's horrible, I can't begin to imagine what their family is going through having to bury six youngsters.'
