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Twin carries brother's coffin at stabbing victim's funeral

Mourners at the funeral of Kyle Neil 
Mourners at the funeral of Kyle Neil  Mourners at the funeral of Kyle Neil 

THE twin brother of a man whose body was found in the boot of a car in south Belfast led mourners at his funeral on Saturday.

Hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects to Kyle Neil, including the victim's young daughter Sophie.

The service, which was conducted by Presbyterian minister the Rev Norman Hamilton, was held at the home of Mr Neil's grandmother in north Belfast.

The 23-year-old died after he was stabbed at a barbecue in Comber, Co Down, last weekend. Police described it as a frenzied attack.

He had been attending the party with a small group of friends.

A man and a woman have appeared in court charged in connection with his murder.

Family and friends lined the streets around Mr Neil's grandmother's home on Crumlin Road for the short funeral service.

Mr Neil's twin brother Irwin helped carry his coffin as other devastated family members following behind the cortege.

He was taken to Antrim Cemetery for burial following the service.

Lanterns were also released into the sky in the Ballysillan area on Saturday night in memory of Mr Neil.

Rev Hamilton, who knows the family, said they had been left "numbed" by the tragedy.

"I remember being told never to get used to funerals and I have to say I found this morning and all the circumstances around it intensely poignant and really quite difficult," he told the BBC.

"I mean it's a privilege to be part of a family in these circumstances, but it's really hard for everybody, including the minister."

Wesley Harry Vance (26), from Church Gate Studios in Comber, has been charged with Mr Neil's murder.

Stephanie Todd (25), from Russell Court on Claremont Street in south Belfast, has also appeared in court charged with assisting the alleged killer by driving the body away from the murder scene.