MORE than 100 people filled a Kidderminster church to say goodbye to six-year-old Imie Harrison, who died after falling into a canal.

Mourners dressed in pink, Imie’s favourite colour, gathered at St John the Baptist Church, Bewdley Road, yesterday to celebrate the youngster’s life.

Imie died after slipping into the Worcestershire and Staffordshire Canal at Wolverley Court Lock, near Springfield Park, Kidderminster.

Yesterday heartbroken family, friends and people who knew her struggled to hold back tears as the coffin was carried from a horse-drawn carriage – donated by charity – into the church to Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe, one of Imie’s favourite songs.

The emotional service was led by the Rev Derek Arnold, who said: “I think all of us will struggle to understand why Imie died.

“There are simply no easy answers I can give and her passing from this world is beyond our understanding. Her littleness and fragility increases our difficulty to understand.”

Heartfelt tributes were read out on behalf of Imie’s family members.

A statement from her mother, Lisa Harrison, described the six-year-old as a “happy, bubbly child”.

She explained how Imie loved horses and added: “I miss my little princess so much. Until we meet again you enjoy your nanny’s cuddles and one day you will have mummy cuddles again too.”

Imie, a pupil at St John’s CE Primary School, slipped into the canal after two other children, who have not been named, also fell into the water. They survived.

Her twin brother CJ ran home to Usmere Road to raise the alarm, but Imie was later pronounced dead at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

At the funeral, a tribute from her older brothers and sisters Sam, 25, Amy, 23 and Abby, 21, said: “From the first time we laid eyes on you it was love at first sight.”

People wiped away tears as Vicky Smith sang I Will Always Love You. At the end, the coffin was carried out of the church to Not Pretty Enough by Kasey Chambers.

Mr Arnold had explained: “These are songs Imie used to sing. She knows them really well and will be singing along.”

The service was followed by a private family cremation at Wyre Forest Crematorium.