ON a bleak winter morning a crowd silently gathered to say goodbye to the girl they called a "free spirit".

The mourners at Bolton's Overdale Crematorium included girls around the same age as Carly Bateman. They hugged and comforted each others and some wiped away tears shed for the 17-year-old who was strangled and dumped on an alleyway in the Haulgh last month.

A respectable distance away from the mourners TV cameras waited for the arrival of the funeral cortege.

The cameras were a reminder of the shocking nature of Carly's death and of the high profile campaign to catch her killer.

When the funeral car arrived silence fell as the waiting mourners watched it pass, laden with flowers and messages for Carly who worked as a prostitute to feed her drug addiction.

One message read: "No more tears Carly. Happiness, safety and freedom are your forever. Enjoy life with the good guys, all my love."

Another read: "In God's care you rest above, in our hearts you rest with love. From your loving Grandma and John."

And another simply: "Night night sweetheart, love Bev."

The floral tribute carried into the church spelt out "Carly" in pink and white letters.

Carly's family, including her mother Vanessa Stirling, father Alan, brother Simon and sister Lianne, supported each other as they entered the crematorium.

The service was conducted by Rev Debby Plummer and included a tribute from Lianne and the reading of a touching poem written by a family friend.

The Rev Plummer told the mourners: "My heart goes out to all of you as you prepare for Christmas without Carly. For some of you that means your family will be incomplete.

"The girl you remembered as being lively, affectionate and generous, a free spirit, is no longer there with you.

"For others of you it is a reminder of the darker side of life -- that many of us live lives which can be vulnerable and insecure, that life can be suddenly snatched away from us."

She praised press coverage of the murder as "honourable and supportive" and again appealed for people to come forward with information.

"It is because of the preciousness of Carly that nobody had the right to steal her life from her, to waste her, to snuff her out as though she were no more than a candle.

"It is because of the preciousness of Carly that the police investigating her death have to succeed in finding her killer and bringing them to justice."

Also at the private service for around 80 friends and relatives were Det Chief Insp Tony Cook and bereavement officer PC Ann Gee, who have both been working on the case.

DCI Cook said: "I hope that seeing Carly's family say their final farewells will prick the conscience of the person responsible for her death.

"It is important they realise how far reaching their actions have been and that they come forward and speak to the police. It is vital that they explain to us what happened that night.

"I would also appeal to those people who use prostitutes in Bolton to come forward with whatever information they have about Carly as it could prove vital to the inquiry."

He added that detectives would be working throughout Christmas and the New Year to try to catch Carly's killer.