“We are all united in sadness” the vicar of Barton under Needwood has said as the village and school mourns the death of teenager Holly Brown.
Rev Andrew Ridley, of St James’ Church in Barton, said that people in the village had been left feeling numb and there was an “overwhelming feeling of sadness” for the 14-year-old, who died when the minibus she was traveling in was involved in a collision with a council bin lorry in Birmingham.
She was on the way to a school art trip with fellow pupils and teachers from John Taylor High School in the village when the tragedy occurred.
Rev Ridley said the family and school was remembered in prayers during services held at the church on Sunday, July 9. He said after the main service at 10.30am he walked down with some of the congregation to lay flowers at the school, where dozens and dozens of floral tributes and messages have been left at the gates.
He also welcomed some of Holly’s friends and year group to the service where prayers were said for the teenager, her family and all those affected by her death.
Rev Ridley told the Burton Mail: “We will remember her. We had some of Holly’s year group come to church and we hope that they felt a warm welcome. We were glad to see them and we said a prayer for Holly and her family, and all those affected by her tragic death. We had an arrangement of flowers and we walked down to place them at the school entrance where we attached a prayer with our sympathies.
“It was the right way to finish the service and we hope that it was a help to those who were there. At St James' we wanted to express our feelings and share them with the school. It is our school and we are upset and saddened by this.
“We saw some of the pupils as we were walking down the path to the school and they had already taken flowers down with some of them knowing Holly very well and some less but we are all united in sadness.
“Everyone knows someone who goes to the school, or had been there so everyone in the village feels for the school community. This is a devastating blow and we really feel for them. At the moment the village is just numb.”
Holly was travelling on the minibus when it was involved in a collision with a Birmingham City Council bin lorry shortly after 9am on Friday, July 7.
The keen ballet dancer was declared dead at the scene of the crash. another schoolgirl suffered minor injuries and was treated in hospital. Other pupils were treated for their injuries at the scene.
Over the weekend dozens of people have been to the gates of John Taylor High School in Dunstall Road to pay their respects. They have laid flowers and left cards, with the fence around the schools grounds covered in tributes.
The tribute on John Taylor High School's Facebook page
The school has also posted a moving tribute on its Facebook page showing the flowers and saying: "When words are not enough: Hundreds of reasons why Holly was so special, and why our school community feels such a loss. We are all heartbroken."
The page contained many messages, with one user Lorraine Dyke who was a former student of the school saying: "I would like to give my deepest condolences for the loss of such a beautiful young woman. My thoughts are with her family, friends and school at this traumatic time."
Abigail Joy Haynes said: " My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this. I cant imagine losing my child, as an ex student myself John Taylor is an incredible school and I know they will give the children, parents and teachers time and help to grieve and get through this imaginable event. Rip Holly xxx"
Rachel Youngman had changed her display picture to that of the John Taylor logo, as a sign of solidarity to the school and added: "Sending you all lots of love, strength and courage at this heartbreaking time. Rest in peace Holly."
Police have launched an investigation into how the crash happened, with both drivers assisting officers.
