FAMILY, friends and neighbours came out today (Tuesday, March 28) to show their support for the Cartlidge family on the day of young Callum’s funeral.
Large groups stood in silence as the family and friends gathered outside their Matchborough home and youngsters, all dressed in blue football shirts with ‘Callum 01’ on the back, played in the intermittent sunshine.
Shortly before the procession began, led by a white horse-drawn carriage embellished with blue, many more neighbours came out to pay their respects to the family and quietly share their memories of the energetic eight-year-old who sadly died in Accident & Emergency at Worcester Royal Hospital on Friday, March 3.
Callum, who lived just three minutes away from the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, had been sent home from the Royal the evening before. However he was rushed back there the following day after taking a severe turn for the worse.
The atmosphere was a sombre one and at around 12.45pm, the glass procession carriage followed by six black cars left the family home, joined by many other cars as it made its way slowly towards Redditch crematorium.
The blue-feather-plumed horses led the line of vehicles and several passersby and drivers also stopped and bowed their heads as a sign of respect.
The Redditch community raised almost £7,000 for Callum’s family via a GoFundMe page, to help with funeral and memorial costs.
An inquest into Callum’s death was opened on Tuesday, March 14 with a full inquest scheduled for June 28.
