Horse-drawn carriage takes tragic Wigan tot on her final journey

Loved ones turned out in force on Monday for the funeral of Alice-Rae Gray, from Norley, who died at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital on August 2.

She had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, in January and doctors told her heartbroken family seven weeks ago that there was nothing more they could do.

The white horses were draped with yellow blankets and had yellow feathers on their heads, while floral tributes were also yellow or featured Peppa Pig.

There was a moving service at the church, before the funeral continued at Wigan Crematorium.

Alice-Rae leaves behind her heartbroken parents Natalie Sargeant and Callum Gray and her brothers Jack, Callen, Kyron and Oakley-Jay.

In a moving tribute to the tot, her grandmother Kim Gray told Wigan Today: “She was a right little madam. She had a fierce temper on her. She was so funny, really loving and always smiling - all the way through the treatment she smiled.

“We had her Christened on the Thursday before she passed in hospital and even then she was wide awake and really alert. Even though she was in pain, she was giving us high fives and wanting to sit on our knees.

“She was full of mischief. Some of the nurses were frightened to death of her because she used to growl at them.”

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