The sky was a beautiful bright blue as over 500 friends wearing colourful clothes packed into Willesborough parish church for the funeral of Ben Neilson yesterday.

And in a tribute to Ben, a friend used the word "bright" to describe the 21-year-old’s personality, both in terms of quick wit and humour, his intelligence and his fashion sense.

University student Ben Neilson, right, died after an attack in Ashford town centre in April while back home in Ashford for the Easter holidays.

Ben's family paid tribute to their son, brother and uncle, and friends descried Ben as their "ringleader", "the life and soul of the party" and "the main event"

It was "the main event" which was chosen as the phrase printed on balloons which friends released during the burial at Willesborough Cemetery.

Friends, including several who had travelled to Ashford from Newcastle, where Ben lived during term-time, wrote notes which were attached to the balloons, released and carried away.