Hundreds attend cadet's funeral

Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay tribute to Kaylee McIntosh

Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of 14-year-old army cadet Kaylee McIntosh, who died when her boat capsized during a training exercise.

Family, school friends and cadets gathered for the service at Fyvie Parish church, Fyvie, Aberdeenshire.

They brought flowers and paid tributes to the popular teenager, who drowned when the boat she was on capsized on a sea loch on South Uist.

Police, assisted by the Ministry of Defence, are investigating her death.

Outside the church, friends from Turriff Academy sobbed, comforted by others.

Meanwhile cadets lined up before making their way into the service, which was attended by about 500 people.

You always knew what to say to cheer everyone up. Camp ain't gonna be the same without you... nothing is A friend's tribute to Kaylee McIntosh

Kaylee's parents - Derek and Lesley - and her older brother Jon, arrived along with the family's pet dog and went into the church by a side entrance.

Her coffin was draped in a saltire flag with the traditional Tam O' Shanter worn by all Scottish soldiers on top.

Flower of Scotland was played by lone army piper Captain Jim Stout, followed by the Flowers Of The Forest, a traditional army lament.

Mourners left floral tributes, including single red roses, with messages attached.

One friend wrote: "You always knew what to say to cheer everyone up. Camp ain't gonna be the same without you... nothing is."

Another from her parents read: "You will leave memories that will last forever. Love you and miss you today and always."

Kaylee McIntosh was a popular girl known as "smiler" by friends

Reverend Manson Merchant, who led the service, said Kaylee was a kind and considerate person, whose cheerful disposition won her the nickname "smiler".

"Although Kaylee was only 14 years of age she was probably more mature than her age would suggest," he added.

"She tended to stand up for herself and her friends and she was quite often a peacemaker at school.

"She always had a smile on her face and I'm sure that smile helped lift many a person up on a gloomy day."

A member of the 2nd Battalion Highlanders Army Cadet Force, Kaylee was among a group of eight cadets and four adults on the boat in Loch Carnan, South Uist, when it capsized at about 1240 BST on 3 August.

It later emerged there may have been a delay of 90 minutes between the accident and the teenager being reported missing.

Her death was described as a "terrible and tragic incident" by Defence Secretary Des Browne.