Family say tearful farewell to woman killed in plunge from hotel balcony

Sarah Royle, the popular 31-year-old known as "Sarah Shark" or "Sharkey" because of her love of sharks, had been watching England beat Slovenia when she plunged to her death.

The Singapore police investigation continues and West Yorkshire Police have been in contact with the investigating officer. An inquest in Halifax was opened and adjourned last week.

Among the 200 mourners at the Good Shepherd Church, Mytholmroyd were her older sisters Johanna, 35, and Premsa, 32, who flew over to be at her bedside as doctors told them her life support machine would have to be switched off.

In her speech Johanna paid tribute to everyone who had contributed more than 23,000 towards the cost of their visit to Singapore, the cost of repatriating Sarah's body and other medical and legal expenses.

She said: "I would just like to say thank you to everyone who helped get Sarah here today. The fundraising was amazing. She would have been amazed.''

And she paid tribute to Sarah's boyfriend, Chris Scrimshaw, whom she met in Australia and who attended the service, telling him: "You were her soulmate. She found you at last.''

There were tears when one of Miss Royle's best friends, Madeleine Duke, told how her nine-year-old daughter Poppy had written a card to Sarah saying: "You were a very nice and fun person and I hope you have a happy life in heaven.''

One of her friends, Leonora Rustamova, 40, said afterwards: "She was a Hebden Bridge classic, so sparkly.''

Fittingly, for a woman known as one of Hebden Bridge's brightest spirits, 100 lanterns were released last night on the Square in the town.