Forever 15 -Emotional scenes, balloons and flares at funeral of Sheffield teenager Cherish Bean, 15
There were emotional scenes, pink balloons and flares as Sheffield said goodbye to 15-year-old Cherish Bean after her tragic death during a family holiday.
Hundreds of people gathered in Parson Cross on Thursday, March 26 to pay their respects to beloved Cherish as her funeral procession made its way from her family home to the local church.
The cortege was due to leave at 11.30am but was slightly delayed as crowds built along the route.
Cherish died alongside her teenage sweetheart, Ethan Slater, 17, in a lodge at a holiday park in Bridlington last month.
By 11am, Wordsworth Avenue was already lined with mourners - many dressed in pink, from shoes and tops to full outfits.
One woman stood waiting in a handmade pink hat, while others held onto children or stood quietly with heads bowed.
Pink balloons had been tied to lampposts, bus stops and street signs the night before, stretching the full mile-and-a-half route. Not a single stretch of the route was left untouched.
By the time the procession began, there were people everywhere - hundreds walking behind, with even more standing shoulder to shoulder along the pavements.
At the front, four white horses pulled a carriage decorated with pink heather.
Behind it followed a long line of vehicles, from Range Rovers to Lamborghinis. Some carried images of Cherish and her partner on the back-showing the couple holding hands, depicted with wings.
Friends from Cherish’s childhood horse-riding days joined on horseback, riding slowly alongside the procession.
As it moved through the estate, young children stood up in cars held bright pink flares, sending coloured smoke into the air.
The smell lingered along the route, and a light haze settled over the crowds.
Shopkeepers and workers stepped outside to watch in silence as the procession passed.
Hairdressers paused mid-appointment, and people stood in doorways or leaned out of windows to pay their respects.
The mood remained subdued throughout. Some people cried openly; others stood quietly, watching as the cortege went by.
Cherish’s coffin was covered in white flowers spelling out “Chezza”.
Her family - mum Devon, dad Grant, and siblings Harmony and Arlo - were among those following behind.
Above the church sign hung a banner reading “Beauty by Chez”, the name of a business Cherish had hoped to build.
Posting on social media ahead of the funeral, her mum Devon wrote: “She lived while she was here.
“Today is your day, all for you my darling girl.
“The sun is shining and I promise to stay strong for Daddy, Harmony and Arlo - love you.”
She had previously described her daughter as “the light of our lives” - a sentiment reflected in today’s weather, as sunshine broke through after yesterday’s rain, falling across the route as mourners made their way towards the churchyard.
By the time the service began, hundreds had gathered - both those who walked the route and those who had waited along it.
Balloons reading ‘15’ marked the loss of a much-loved teenager - an age she will always remain.