BBC News Online: UK

Dando funeral route revealed

The funeral service might be relayed by loudspeaker to crowds expected to gather outside Clarence Park Baptist Church in Ms Dando's home town of Weston-super-Mare.

The service begins at 1500 BST on Friday and is expected to last about an hour. It will be restricted to mourners with personal invitations from Ms Dando's family.

Avon and Somerset Police said that after the service the funeral cortege would travel four miles to a private burial ceremony at a private ceremony.

The hearse and three cars will travel from the church in Walliscote Road, a short distance from the beach, into the town centre.

From the town centre the cortege will travel along Francis Fox Road, Winterstoke Road, Herluin Way, Flowerdown Bridge and Somerset Avenue to Ebdon Road cemetery. There Ms Dando will be buried next to her mother, Jean.

Police spokesman Inspector Keith Jones said: "The family would like a private funeral but they appreciate that in the circumstances that will not be possible.

"The service in the church will be private for family and close friends who have had a personal invitation from the family.

"I am exploring the possibility that the service will be relayed to people who have gathered outside the church."

Under-cover presence

Ms Dando was shot dead on the doorstep of her west London home last month.

Police are still searching for killer gunman has not been caught.

Detectives are even considering sending plain-clothes officers to mingle with the crowds at the Ms Dando's funeral this week.

They are still unclear as to the murderer's motives but it is thought possible that the gunman might attend the ceremony.

Thousands of mourners are expected to line the streets to watch the three-mile cortege, before a private service is held at the Clarence Park Baptist Church.

Only close family and her fiancé will attend the burial. The chief mourners will be Dando's father Jack, her journalist brother Nigel and her fiancé Alan Farthing.

TV appeal

Three days before the funeral police will make a national appeal for information on the BBC's Crimewatch UK, a programme once presented by Jill Dando herself.

The broadcast will begin with a reconstruction of the shooting with an appeal for sightings in Fulham and Putney of possible suspects.

Although the film will show actors there will be no scenes featuring any Jill Dando lookalike.

Crimewatch UK will be broadcast at 2205 BST on BBC1 on Tuesday, 18 May.

Relevant Stories

Clues to the Dando murder (17 May 99 | UK)
Dando reconstruction filmed for Crimewatch (15 May 99 | UK)
Dando reward rises to £150,000 (13 May 99 | UK)

Internet Links

Crimestoppers UK
Avon and Somerset Police
Metropolitan Police
Weston-super-Mare: Jill Dando Tribute Page

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

Next steps for peace
Blairs' surprise over baby
Bowled over by Lord's
Beef row 'compromise' under fire
Hamilton 'would sell mother'
Industry misses new trains target
Quins fightback shocks Cardiff (From Sport)
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
IRA ceasefire challenge rejected
Thousands celebrate Asian culture
Christie could get two-year ban (From Sport)
Colleagues remember Compo (From Entertainment)
Mother pleads for baby's return
Toys withdrawn in E.coli health scare
Nurses role set to expand (From Health)
Israeli PM's plane in accident
More lottery cash for grassroots
Pro-lifers plan shock launch
Double killer gets life
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)
Straw on trial over jury reform (From UK Politics)
Tatchell calls for rights probe into Mugabe
Ex-spy stays out in the cold
Blair warns Livingstone (From UK Politics)
Smear equipment `misses cancers' (From Health)
Boyzone star gets in Christmas spirit (From Entertainment)
Fake bubbly warning
Murder jury hears dead girl's diary
Germ warfare fiasco revealed (From UK Politics)
Blair babe triggers tabloid frenzy
Tourists shot by mistake
A new look for News Online