Mourners wear flowers at mephedrone teenager's funeral

HUNDREDS of mourners wearing brightly coloured flowers packed a funeral service today for an 18-year-old who died after taking mephedrone on a night out in Scunthorpe.

The family of Louis Wainwright, from Winteringham, North Lincolnshire, had asked those attending the service not to wear black and many turned up sporting colourful blooms on their clothes and in their hair.

Mr Wainwright died on March 15, on the same day as his friend Nicholas Smith, whose funeral took place yesterday.

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Their deaths sparked widespread concern over the use of mephedrone - which is also known as M-Cat, Miaow Miaow or Plant Food.

The service at Woodlands Crematorium in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, was packed as up to 400 people turned up to pay their respects.

Around 50 people had to listen to the service outside in the bitter cold due to the numbers crammed inside.

The silver hearse arrived with the coffin covered in pictures of Mr Wainwright and surrounded by white flowers. One of the wreaths was in the shape of SRUFC - referring to Scunthorpe Rugby Club.

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After Mr Wainwright's death, his mother, Jacqui, paid tribute to her son, calling him a "fun-loving and caring boy".

She said in statement: "He had a fantastic personality, he was always somebody who made people laugh and was a popular lad.

"Louis was working hard towards a career in engineering. He loved his job and worked very hard."

His father, Andrew, released a statement in which he said he loved watching his son play rugby.

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He said: "Louis had the heart of a lion and lived and played above his weight.

"He was a lad who loved to work hard and play hard."

Yesterday, hundreds of mourners braved cold temperatures at the same crematorium to pay their respects at Mr Smith's funeral.