Hundreds of mourners packed a village church to say their final farewells to a teenage crash victim from Denholme who had just beaten cancer.

Family and friends, many wearing pink, gathered at St James’s Parish Church in Thornton on Monday for the funeral of 19-year-old Jade Best, who was killed in a late-night crash.

Jade, of Clapham Street in Denholme, was the youngest of the three occupants of a black Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, who died when it crashed into a hair-dressing salon in Thornton on September 16.

The two others were driver Jonathan Adam Ruthven, 27, also of Denholme, and front seat passenger Daniel Hague, 32, a serving soldier, of Thornton, who was home on compassionate leave visiting his sick mother.

White and pink flowers spelling out Jade’s name accompanied her coffin.

One message read: “You were more than just a best friend to us all. Despite your own problems, you always wore a beautiful smile through it all.”

The service was led by St James’s vicar, the Reverend Harry Qwinnett.

Donations collected in Jade’s memory were in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.