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Monday, 17 March 2008, 16:56 GMT

Newsreaders bid Barnes farewell

Dermot Murnaghan (left) and Alastair Stewart (right) TV news presenters Alastair Stewart, Dermot Murnaghan and Nicholas Owen have attended the funeral of former ITV newsreader Carol Barnes in Brighton.

In a statement read on his behalf, her 26-year-old son James said: "She made me care, she made me love, she opened the world to me."

Her agent has confirmed that a memorial service will be held for the broadcaster in Sussex on 29 March.

The former News At Ten presenter died after suffering a stroke aged 63.

'Wonderful journalist'

Referring to Barnes' daughter Clare, who died in 2004 aged 24 after a sky-diving accident, her son said: "Many of you will know that my teenage years were fraught with difficulty and pain for all those involved.

Carol Barnes obituary

Carol Barnes

"Although it was a difficult time for everyone involved, my mum to a large degree bore the brunt of it and for this I'm deeply sorry.

He praised his mother and added: "Where most would withdraw from the pain Mum endured, she did precisely the opposite and opened her heart to the world, giving far more to our world than she kept in hers."

Barnes' former partner Denis MacShane paid tribute to her, saying she was "a wonderful journalist and a wonderful mother".

'Hugging and holding'

He added: "The word that summed her up to me was laughter. She was always finding something to laugh and joke at to get through a difficult situation.

"Others will remember her as a mother and as a friend but I think her great professional contribution was as a great professional from a generation that created great journalists."

He said the broadcaster was always there for her children "through the turbulences of adolescence" and "hugging and holding tight in a crisis".

Nicholas Owen greets mourners at the funeral

Her coffin was carried out to U2's With Or Without You.

Barnes started her career as a teacher before moving into public relations and journalism, joining ITN as a reporter in the mid-1970s.

In 1973 she was part of the launch for London radio station LBC before joining ITN as a reporter.

She went on to anchor all the broadcaster's main news programmes, including News At Ten for a number of years.

Barnes had a long relationship with former government Minister Denis MacShane, with whom she had a daughter, Clare.

She went on to marry ITN cameraman Nigel Thompson and the couple had a son, James.



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Related to this story:
Ex-newsreader Barnes dies at 63 (08 Mar 08 |  Entertainment )
Newsreader sacked as magistrate (12 Jan 05 |  Entertainment )
Funeral held for British skydiver (19 Mar 04 |  Asia-Pacific )

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