MORE than 400 people gathered to celebrate the life of a young girl who lost her brave battle with cancer last week.

A special mass was held for Jessica Whelan yesterday at a packed St Mary’s RC Church in Oswaldtwistle, with standing room only.

Jessica, four, of Oswaldtwistle, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in September 2015.

The youngster underwent two clinical trials in a bid to overcome the cancer of cells involved in the development of the nervous system and other tissues but they proved unsuccessful and she died at home last weekend.

Her small pink coffin was carried into the church, with hundreds of mourners watching in silence. A procession, led by Jessica’s two favourite police horses, had earlier guided the funeral cars to the church in Catlow Hall Street.

Fr John Daly, who led the service, said: “Jessica in her short life has achieved things that many of us don’t manage to achieve in our long lives.

“She has suffered. She has given. She has brought love and joy to everyone in this church.

“She has touched you in many ways. She will help far more lives.

“Jessica has influenced not only the local community, but national and international.

“She was given this cross which was shared so closely by her parents, her family and her friends. There is much that she brought alive in others. Her parents Andy and Nicki described the ability to hold her was too painful for her but in her last moments it took place. A final expression of love which can’t really be expressed in any words.”

Fr Daly said many great things would come from Jessica’s life, including awareness of and fundraising for cancer.

As mourners left the church they were asked to make a contribution to Derian House or the Paediatric Oncologist Outreach Fund.

They were also each given an angle memento bearing the message ‘may you always know angels walk with you’.

Following the service Jessica’s family and close friends went to private crematorium service.