Funeral for Reading river stabbing victim Asha Muneer

A photo of Asha Muneer among flowers, candles and tributes at the scene where she died

A photo of Asha Muneer sits among flowers where her body was found

More than 500 people have attended a funeral service for a teenager found stabbed to death by a river in Reading.

The body of Asha Muneer, 18, a student from Whitley, Reading, was discovered by a jogger on a footpath by the River Kennet, next to the A33, on 18 January.

A public prayer service was held at Rivermead Leisure Centre, and was due to be followed by a private burial.

Gulamyr Akhter, 19, of Victoria Way, Reading, has been charged with her murder.

The prayer service was attended by many of her Highdown School friends, where Miss Muneer had been taking A-levels in English, sociology and economics.

'Lost everything'

Her uncle Saeed Iqbal said: "I would say thanks to the whole general community, not just only the Pakistani community, but the whole general community, they have given us lots of support.

"It's been absolutely terrible, absolutely terrible, nobody can understand the hell we have been through.

"We can't sleep, nobody can sleep. She comes into our eyes and mind. We've just lost everything.

"She was an absolutely beautiful girl.

Mourners arriving at the funeral of Asha Muneer

A public prayer service was held at Rivermead Leisure Centre

"We are always going to remember her."

The private burial was attended by 300 male members of her family and close friends.

Miss Muneer's body was found on a footpath near the Madejski football stadium at 2030 GMT, with her handbag lying nearby.

She is thought to have left a Laura Ashley shop on the Brunel Retail Park, where she worked part-time as a shop assistant, more than two hours earlier.

A post-mortem examination revealed that she had suffered 25 stab wounds.

A photo of Miss Muneer sits among flowers, tributes and candles next to the footpath where her body was found.

Her family described her as a loving and beautiful daughter.

Mr Akhter is due to appear at Reading Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on 1 February.