THE life of a brave young woman who inspired so many people was celebrated in Port Glasgow yesterday.

Hundreds of people gathered at St Francis' of Assisi Church to pay their respects to Stephanie Hurrell.

The much-loved daughter, sister and friend tragically died aged only 22 earlier this month.

The church was a sea of pink as mourners wore the bright colour in line with Stephanie's request.

As well as family and friends and fellow former school pupils and local political figures, the mourners included X Factor singer Nicholas McDonald, who had struck up a friendship with Stephanie a few years ago and stayed in touch.

One group of friends donned matching pink tops with Stephanie's picture on them, along with the words 'Smile for Stephanie'.

Her pink coffin was brought to the church in a horse and glass carriage.

Her grieving father Andrew helped to guide her coffin into the church accompanied by family members while her mum Angela comforted her younger sister Jacqueline.

During the service Father Matthew Carlin paid tribute to Stephanie.

He said: "There is so much that could be said about Stephanie, about her extraordinary life, full of struggle and suffering, certainly; but much more importantly, full of love, full of joy and full of achievement.

"You need only look at the tributes that have poured in since we all heard the sad news of her death.

"Andy and Angela told me this week that even they have been shocked and overwhelmed to realise just how many people she reached out to, encouraged and supported.

"Although she was a very outgoing person, she kept a lot of that quiet.

"Our mass is an opportunity for us to do several things: first and foremost we pray for Stephanie, commending her to the care and mercy of God, that she may find peace.

"We also pray for ourselves – especially her mum and dad, Angela and Andy, her sister Jacqueline, her grandparents Ina, John, Margaret and Frank, and for all the family and friends whose grief is a witness to the pain of her loss.

"We can comfort one another just by being there, or by talking or listening.

"But let’s not forget to ask for consolation and peace from God, the source of all true happiness."

Stephanie was a former pupil at St Michael's Primary and St Stephen's High and Father Carlin said she was fondly remembered there.

He said head teacher Alison Fanning had told him that Stephanie would come to her office and say things like 'I’ve organised a concert, can I borrow the hall?'

He added: "She had got to know Nicholas McDonald, whom some of you may remember from the X Factor in 2013.

"Stephanie had asked her friend Nicholas to perform at the school to raise money for Yorkhill Hospital, which of course he did, with great success."

Stephanie was born with serious heart problems and also underwent spinal surgery when she was only nine, and underwent further heart surgery as a teenager.

But that did not hold her back and Father Carlin said she did so much in her life.

This included being a flag-bearer for the Commonwealth Games in the very year she had a pacemaker fitted and was also a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Inverclyde from 2015 to 2017.

Father Carlin praised Stephanie's 'can-do attitude', saying she was the kind of person who just seemed to make things happen.

He said: "She was an ambassador for Yorkhill, and Angela asked me to mention Sharon Watson, who was Stephanie’s cardiac liaison from when she was just six weeks old, and who was a wonderful support to the family throughout her life.

"Everyone remembers Stephanie's warmth, her humour, her straight-talking, no-nonsense, to-the-point attitude.

"Stephanie was familiar with pain, frailty and limitation, so she could sympathise with and relate to people in every kind of difficulty; yet she also knew just what could be achieved with courage and determination, putting your God-given talents at the service of the world around you.

"I think that, in some ways, Stephanie’s poor health wasn’t her weakness, it was her super-power."

He read out a tribute from her sister Jacqueline who said Stephanie wasn't just her sister but her best friend as well.

Jacqueline wrote: "I will never forget my beautiful big sister and all of the amazing and kind things she did for me and for everybody else as well.

"She had a heart of gold and would have done anything she could to help people.

"She always had a smile for everybody and her beautiful smile will live in all of our hearts."

The congregation sang Make Me a Channel of Your Peace as the entrance hymn and As I Kneel before You as the recessional.

Before the mass Stephanie's friend Melissa Craik paid her own tribute, singing Always Remember Us This Way.

Alison Fanning read the first reading while a pupil from the St Stephen's High sang On Eagle's Wings.

At the end of the service, at Stephanie's request, Before You Go by Lewis Capaldi was played.