More than 350 friends and family of Nathan Williams gathered in The Meadows yesterday for his funeral service. The 17-year-old was shot dead at the Bridgeway Centre on September 26 - less than a week before his 18th birthday. Reading a statement from Nathan's family during the service at Bridgeway Hall Methodist Mission in the Bridgeway Centre,

"We all have to tell those people that it is not right to carry a gun and to put them down for good.

"That is the legacy we want for Nathan's life."

Mr Simpson also read out some of the family's favourite memories of Nathan.

"His mum remembers getting a telephone call from school saying that Nathan had been caught smoking with others behind some hedges," he said.

"When she tried to tell him off later she couldn't stop laughing as all she could think of was Benson & Hedges, the cigarette makers." He said another memory was of a family holiday in Gran Canaria, when Nathan and a cousin fell asleep on sunbeds by the hotel pool. "They gave the pool attendant a huge shock in the morning and Nathan's auntie wasn't happy when she found them," he said.

One of Nathan's favourite songs, Michael Jackson's Be There For You, greeted mourners of all ages, many of whom were clad in black T-shirts and jumpers carrying the words 'RIP Nathan'.

In between the hymns All Things Bright and Beautiful, Make Me a Channel of Your Peace and The Lord of the Dance, mourners listened to a recording of the Celine Dion song Fly, Fly Little Wing, which had been chosen by Nathan's girlfriend Beth.

Mourners left the church to another of Nathan's favourite songs I'll Be Missing You by P Diddy before heading on to Wilford Hill Cemetery for the burial.

A hearse carrying the former Welbeck Primary and Dayncourt School pupil's coffin and a horse- drawn carriage had led a procession of around 100 of his family and close friends to the service from his family's home in Lammas Gardens.

Courtney Hunt, 20, of Eugene Gardens, The Meadows, is charged with the murder of Nathan and possession of a firearm. He will next appear in court on January 11.