Theresa's final journey

The funeral cortege made its way over the bridge before arriving at St John's Church, Maindee, for a final service.

On Monday the Argus told how Theresa, 27, died last Tuesday following a five-year battle with breast cancer. Her partner Christopher Macauley, 30, must now raise their two young children Lauryn, 5 and Triston, 8, alone.

The children did not attend the funeral service. Theresa's mother, Julia Booth, 46, of Morgan Street, Newport, said her daughter wanted to travel on the Transporter Bridge before she died.

Mrs Booth said: "When Theresa was in Velindre Hospital, I told her how I used to travel on the bridge to get across the river every week. She said she'd never been on the bridge and she was really keen to go across.

"We were going to arrange it but she got worse and then died. So we asked if her cortege could go over with her body. Theresa would have liked that."

The hearse was filled with floral tributes, including one that read 'THERESA' in flowers. St John's Church was packed with more than 200 of Theresa's family and friends, there to mourn the passing of a woman described as an 'inspiration' to other cancer sufferers. Her body was carried into the church to the sound of the Oleta Adams song Get Here If You Can.

The service was led by the Reverend David Neale, who has been in the parish for three weeks.

He said although he had never met Theresa, photos of her showed "a special glimmer in her eyes".

"She was determined to enjoy life," he said, "and she was very stubborn and determined to fight her illness."

Various prayers were read and All Things Bright and Beautiful sung. Mrs Booth read a touching prayer for her daughter, receiving spontaneous and heart-felt applause from the congregation.

Theresa's body was cremated and her ashes will be placed in Christchurch Cemetery in Newport, close to the home she shared with partner Chris and their children.