Mourners at the funeral of Carli Barry, the young ME sufferer whose body was found by a York church last month, heard of hopes that she was in peace at last.

Hundreds of friends and family packed into York Crematorium, many standing around the edges of the mourners, as moving tributes were paid to the 27-year-old who suffered from ME and depression.

Carli's body was found just yards from her home on Saturday February 17 by her boyfriend Danny Covell, after a ten day city-wide search.

The family have been waiting more than a month to have her body released by the York coroner and finally put her to rest.

Danny, also 27, who lived with Carli in Cecilia Place, off Holgate Road, spoke of her braveness in her ten year fight with the debilitating disease.

He said: "Let us be glad that she is no longer in pain and suffering.

"Carli felt trapped in a situation. I wish she wanted to be alive."

Since Carli's death, her parents Sheila and Geoff have spoken out about ME in a bid for more people to learn more about what they describe as a "misunderstood condition".

Carli's sister Annie spoke of the lack of understanding people have for ME sufferers.

She spoke of her sister and read a poem written by Carli's friend Claire after the death. Part of it read: "I know you had your reasons but I'm sad to see you go.

"I watched as ME isolated you from us and even took you from us.

"Please rest in your long awaited peace."

At the end of the funeral Carli's father Geoff simply said: "The Lord watch between us while we are apart."

The inquest into her death was opened and adjourned last week and the preliminary cause of death was given as an overdose of opiates.

Updated: 09:56 Thursday, March 22, 2001