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On a cold but clear day in Hoo, residents gathered at the church to pay their last respects to a girl named Holly.

On Saturday morning they lined the streets with cameras and phones in hand as the horse drawn glass carriage made its way through the village.

Some walked behind the cortege on its short journey to Hoo St Werburgh Parish Church.

As the little wicker coffin was lifted from the carriage by four bearers, heads were bowed and an elderly woman reached up to place a bunch of flowers on top.

A joint Anglican and Catholic funeral service was held in the church with more than 200 people of all ages.

There were snippets of Latin at the committal, and the grave and coffin were blessed by Father Victor, Catholic priest for Hoo St Werburgh.

Nobody at the church knew the girl or her family.

Nobody knows her real name.

Six years ago, as part of an excavation, the remains of a medieval body were discovered in an unconsecrated part of the church grounds and taken away for research.

The head was found removed from the body and placed next to it - meaning 'Holly’ may have been a criminal, a suicide victim or suspected of witchcraft.

Just over a month ago the Vicar of Hoo, the Rev Andy Harding, made the decision to re-bury the remains and give 'Holly’ a funeral that was most probably denied her at the time of her death.

The remains, which archaeologists believe are female due to bone structure, were named by funeral director Paul Hawden after she was found under a holly bush.

Speaking after the service Mr Harding said he had not expected the crowd.

He added: “It was lovely to see so many people here having been moved by her story.

“I believe everybody should receive a respectable funeral and that was something that had been denied her.”

Paul Hawden, of Paul Hawden & Family funeral directors, helped organise the funeral with the help of Bailey Memorials, The Sawd Partnership, Alva Evans and Frindsbury Florist.

Mr Hawden added: “It brought the community and people together, it showed a lot of love.

“Yesterday was really lovely, as long as Holly is at rest now that’s the main thing.”