Guard of honour for river plunge family

Land Rovers lined up to form a "guard of honour" for the funeral of four children who died after their family's car plunged into a Lincolnshire river.

Willow, two, Angel, four, Thor, six and Keavy Gresham, eight, were travelling with three other siblings and their parents in a Land Rover which left a narrow track at Tattershall Bridge and crashed into the River Witham.

Nigel Gresham, 36, Sara Bolland, 31, and their three other children Star, 13, Liam, 12, and Amber, nine survived the accident on Sunday, September 16.

Boston came to a standstill and fell silent as mourners arrived for the funeral at St Botolph's Church.

Around 600 family members and friends are attending the service with as many as 150 members of the "Land Rover" community also gathering.

The deceased arrived in separate hearses, with Thor at the head of the cortege in a silver Land Rover Defender.

The four small, white coffins carried pictures of characters from their favourite cartoons - Winnie The Pooh, Pixar's Cars, Scooby Doo and Clifford The Big Red Dog.

Parents Nigel Gresham and Sara Bolland entered the church with the three surviving children from the crash - Amber, Star and Liam.

Kevin Drane, 31, from Cambridgeshire was among the scores of Land Rover drivers forming the guard of honour.

He said: "We are here to support the family. Most of the community have met them or spoken to them because the community is very much internet based.

"There has been absolute shock at what has happened. We are just offering whatever help possible to the family."

A private committal for immediate family and friends only will follow at Boston Crematorium.

In a statement, the children's father, said: "The support we've had from people has been immense, a real tower of strength for us to draw on.

"We have seen such a massive display of honest, genuine human kindness shown towards us. We've had letters that have reached us from people not knowing where we live, and from as far away as France.

"Every single message we get means we know that people care and are thinking of us. The Land Rover community have truly united to help us in any way they can.

"No parent ever imagines having to say goodbye to their children and there really are no words to explain how we feel.

"Our children's funerals will be a celebration of their lives and the memories we have of the crazy, fun times we shared with them. The loss we feel is beyond words and we thank everyone for their support."

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