Funeral for hostel blaze victim

Kelly Symonds from Aberfan who escaped the fire

Around 500 of mourners gathered for the funeral of Australian hostel blaze victim Sarah Williams.

Ms Williams, 23, from Aberfan, was one of two Welsh women who died as a blaze swept through a hostel at Childers killing 15 backpackers.

Both died from the effects of inhaling smoke during the fire last month.

Blaze victim: Sarah Williams

Her friend 28-year-old Natalie Morris from nearby Merthyr, is to be buried on Saturday.

Five weeks after the fire at the Palace Hostel, their bodies were flown home last weekend.

Joining Ms Williams' family at St Mary's Church in Merthyr Vale, was close friend Kelly Synods - who survived after being rescued from the flames.

Leading the service the Reverend Steven Barnes: "We have lost a child on the other side of the world and the pain is immense."

He went on to describe Sarah as a "bubbly girl" with an "infectious sense of humour" who would be sadly missed.

Flown home: Natalie Morris

The three friends had been travelling around Australia for a year but Sarah had been due to start the journey home the day after the fire so she could be a bridesmaid at her brother Stephen's wedding.

He postponed the ceremony following his sister's death.

The family said: "The kind messages of sympathy and wonderful letters of support were a real comfort and as one stated `for us the world has suddenly become a darker place'."

They requested that any donations should be sent to a local hospital's special baby care unit where Sarah had worked as a clerk before she set off on her travels.

Police in Australia are still investigating how the fire started.

Itinerant Paul Long, 37, has been charged with attempted murder of a police officer while he was being arrested for questioning in connection with the fire.