Children allegedly killed by mother buried in 'moving' Spanish funeral

Rebecca Smith, five, and her 11-month-old brother Daniel were found dead at the Hotel Miramar in Lloret de Mar, on the Costa Brava, on May 18.

Their mother, Lianne Smith, 43, said she was worried the authorities would take them away from her and asphyxiated them with a plastic bag.

The infants' funeral was held in the town's Sant Roma church this afternoon.

The 16th century Gothic chapel was filled with white flowers and prayers were read at the ceremony.

Mrs Smith, who is being held in prison in Girona on suspicion of murder, was not allowed out to attend.

Representatives of the town's civic administration were present, however, along with British consular officials.

The children were buried in the local cemetery afterwards as the bright sun beat down on the sombre gathering.

The priest who conducted the ceremony and did not want to be named described it as "moving".

It was a private affair "to show respect for the children", he added.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We continue to provide consular assistance to Lianne Smith, currently detained in Spain, and consular officials attended the funeral."

The family fled from the UK in 2007 after the children's father, Martin Smith, 45, was arrested over child rape and sex assault allegations. Smith, originally from North Shields, was one of Britain's most wanted men until Spanish police tracked him down last month. The children died around the time their father was extradited to Britain.

Their mother, who had been a manager at Cumbria County Council's children's services department, fled with them from their apartment in Barcelona to the Lloret de Mar hotel after her partner's arrest.

Smith appeared at Carlisle Crown Court yesterday accused of a string of sex offences and failing to answer to bail.

He had a small bandage over his right ear after being attacked with a snooker cue by another inmate in Durham prison.

No pleas were entered, there was no application for bail and he was further remanded into custody. A provisional trial date was set for November 1.