Beach memorial for Jolanta

Published on Monday 14 April 2008 22:50

A MEMORIAL service is to be held for a woman whose severed head and hands were found on a beach, it was announced yesterday.

Mourners will gather on the beach where Jolanta Bledaite's remains were discovered for the service at 1pm on Saturday in Arbroath, Angus.

Ms Bledaite, 35, came from Alytus in Lithuania and had been working in Brechin in Angus.

Her head and hands were found by two young sisters on 1 April and police recovered a suitcase containing further body parts from Arbroath harbour on 5 April.

Pebbles from Ms Bledaite's family will be scattered on the beach at South Street and flowers from the mayor of Alytus will be laid.

A short service will be conducted by the Reverend Kevin Golden, priest of St Thomas Roman Catholic Church in Arbroath.

The memorial is being organised by Scottish woman Sue Smith on behalf of Ms Bledaite's relatives, whom she has just returned from visiting.

She said: "It's traditional among their culture to have a memorial Mass.

"And the body will be getting repatriated for burial, so this will be her friends' last chance to say goodbye to her."

If the weather is bad, the service will be held inside St Thomas Church.

&#149 Two men have been charged with the murder of Ms Bledaite.