Her grief-stricken parents were joined by family and friends at her funeral service in Wellpark Mid Kirk.

Mourners, some wearing yellow buttonholes and ties and blue ribbons, gathered outside the church waiting for the hearse to arrive.

People quietly queued and waited to go inside the church after Danielle’s distraught family took their seats.

The Telegraph attended the service with the prior agreement of Danielle’s family.

Several members of the congregation were in tears as the white coffin was carried in, accompanied by the song Dancing in the Sky by Dani and Lizzy.

Reverend Alan Sorensen, who conducted the service, knew Danielle in his role as Inverclyde Academy’s School Chaplain and he described her as ‘warm and funny’.

He told the Telegraph: “It’s not surprising that the whole town has been so affected by the news of Danielle’s death.

“Losing someone so young is always a tragedy, and especially when it’s someone so full of vitality and genuinely one of the good people in life.

“Having been her school chaplain at Inverclyde Academy I remember her really great talent in dancing as well as her really warm, funny personality; she was admired by everybody who knew her. Wellpark Mid Kirk is seen as The Town Church and it’s at moments like this that we are so privileged to be able to serve the community as well as help Danielle’s family.

“Although the service must acknowledge the terrible shock and sadness everyone feels, I hope that the prayers and the celebration of Danielle’s life will help bring hope and comfort to those closest to her.” Eighteen-year-old Danielle died in Ibiza last month and her family — mum Tracy Alexander and her husband Paul, her dad Scott Docherty and his partner Karen and her siblings Lauren, 17, Dylan, 12, and Kaitlyn, nine, are still trying to come to terms with their terrible loss. Rev Sorensen read out a poem penned by Kaitlyn, and Danielle’s good friend Jamie Jack also read a poem written by his sister Lynsey Alexander in tribute to her.

Danielle’s godmother Susan McGrory gave a poignant reading during the service.

Danielle, who lived in Trafalgar Street with her beloved dog Spike, was christened in the Mid Kirk and attended King’s Oak Primary School.

Mr Sorensen said she was a shy young girl then but became more confident and he remembered her ‘strutting her stuff’ later at Inverclyde Academy.

He spoke of her winning awards for dancing and being a member of the Air Training Corps and said that, just like the Strictly Come Dancing show on television, the popular girl had danced through each episode of her life becoming more confident and bringing more love into the lives of others.

Mr Sorensen said: “No one knows what might have been — she could have gone on to finish her science course or taken part in a photoshoot arranged from when she came back from holiday.” Rev Sorensen told her loved ones and friends that they should draw comfort in Danielle’s achievements.

He said: “It’s not the number of years someone has been alive that is the real measure of their lives — after all, we in the Church follow someone who died a very young death and yet changed the whole world.

“It’s the impact they make on those around, it’s the love they gave and the love they created in our hearts.

“The fact that this enormous church is full speaks volumes about Danielle’s achievement in life. “She touched more lives for the better in 18 years than many would do in 80.” Touching hymns were sung at the service including Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam and Morning Has Broken.

Danielle’s coffin was taken from the church as the Bread song ‘Everything I Own’ was played.

A collection was held at the end of the funeral in aid of Underheugh Ark Animal Rescue Centre.

Following the service, Danielle was taken on her final journey to Knocknairshill Cemetery, where she was laid to rest at a private burial.