Holly and Jessica - order of service

2,000 people packed the cathedral

Hundreds of friends and guests of the Wells and Chapman families packed into Ely Cathedral for Friday's special service of thanksgiving for the lives of the ten-year-old best friends, Holly and Jessica.

The children's bodies were found on 17 August, two weeks after they had gone missing from their homes in Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Here is the order of service:

Canon and Vice-Dean of the Cathedral John Inge welcomed guests.

The hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful was played followed by an introduction from the Bishop of Ely, Reverend Anthony Russell.

He said: "We gather here together to celebrate and remember the lives of Holly and Jessica.

"This service has been arranged in accordance with the wishes of Les and Sharon Chapman and Kevin and Nicola Wells.

Mourners will celebrate Holly and Jessica's lives

"It takes place in this cathedral, six miles from Soham, because St Andrew's Church, which has been such an important focus in recent days, could not accommodate such a congregation.

"The Chapman and Wells families wish to give thanks for all the comfort and support that they have received from the people of Soham, from the police and service personnel and all those who have helped and been involved in the investigation.

"In our prayers we ask that God's gentle and gracious love will enfold the Wells and Chapman families and all those who have been affected by the deaths of Jessica and Holly.

"We remember them in our prayers and we keep a short time of silence.

"Our silence will conclude with the prayer that has been used in Soham Church over the last days and weeks."

Solo

It was followed by a short prayer before a poem named Lord of Comfort, written by a friend of the Chapman family, Kathleen Golding and read by police family liaison officer Dc Brian Stevens.

Holly's father Kevin Wells then read a poem he wrote himself entitled Soham's Rose followed by a bagpipe solo, which was played by Archie Steel.

Geoff Fisher, head teacher of St Andrew's School, Soham, then read 1 Corinthians 13:1, 2, 4-13 before the congregation sang the hymn Give Me Joy In My Heart.

Reverend Tim Alban Jones, of St Andrew's Church, Soham, made his address ahead of an anthem sung by the cathedral choir which began "Lord, you are the light of life to me".

Click here to read his address

Prayers were read by Reverend Malcolm Hope, Soham's Methodist minister, followed by a hymn which began "Lord, the light of your love is shining".

The Bishop of Ely then read the blessing.

The service ended with a dismissal sung by the cathedral choir.

A collection was made, with all funds raised going to St Andrew's Church.