The funeral of 32-year-old Sarah Mulvihill, the first British servicewoman to be killed on duty in Iraq, has taken place at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Flight Lieutenant, who grew up in Herne Bay and went to school in Canterbury, died when the helicopter she was travelling in came down on May 6 in Basra.

More than 450 mourners packed into the cathedral for the personal service which paid tribute to the life and achievements of the airwoman from 28 (AC) Squadron.

Flt Lt Mulvihill was carried in through the Great West Door into the 15th Century nave by six RAF personnel from her station, RAF Benson in Oxfordshire.

Her coffin was draped in the Union Jack and had her hat, a sword and medals on top of it.

It was preceded by the all-male cathedral choir, with senior clergy, including the Dean of Canterbury, the Very Rev Robert Willis, following, in the Benedictine tradition.

A picture of a beaming Flt Lt Mulvihill, dressed in black, was mounted on an easel facing the congregation.

Fifteen members of her family, including her parents Sue and Terry Poole, brother Jason, and husband Lee, all dressed in black, followed the coffin into the cathedral.

The Dean told the congregation: "We have gathered in these great numbers, in this English church, the mother church of the English speaking world, to remember Sarah, to remember the gift of Sarah."

Jason Poole paid an emotional tribute to his sister. "Hello sis. I know I've said so much to you already these past few weeks but you need to know a few things today.

"I miss you so much. We all do, every single one of us here. You meant so much to so many people in so many different ways."