'Clever and witty' Jack Frew laid to rest

• Family and friends said their last goodbyes to Jack Frew yesterday. Pic: PA

Pupils of Duncanrig Secondary in East Kilbride, where Frew had been a fifth year student until his murder on 6 May, poured through the gates in their school uniforms.

His family arrived in brightly coloured clothes to bid a final farewell to the 16-year-old described as "clever, witty, cool and fashionable".

Around 700 mourners packed the assembly hall for the memorial service, led by head teacher George Wynne and the Rev Kevin McKenzie of Westwood Parish Church. The poem Remember by Christina Rossetti was read before a group of Frew's friends sang one of his favourite songs, Somewhere over the Rainbow.

In the Order of Service, words taken from a book of condolence in the school listed Frew's attributes: "Talented, generous, bright, funny, cheerful, considerate, happy." Underneath it read: "Jack was all of these things and many more besides. He will remain in the hearts of those who have known him forever."

After the service, distraught teenagers streamed out into the sun, holding hands as they wiped tears from their eyes and hugged each other. Frew's family, including his parents Robert and Lorraine, his older sister Jemma and his older brother Garry, were then driven away in two cars to a private funeral at South Lanarkshire crematorium in Blantyre.

Frew's family had requested that those attending the funeral wear colourful clothes and make a donation to Victim Support Scotland instead of sending flowers.

The teenager was found stabbed and beaten to death in a wooded area near a cycle path in the Mossneuk area of East Kilbride. Craig Roy, 17, was charged with Frew's murder at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 10 May. He was released on bail following another court appearance on Tuesday but has been ordered to stay away from his hometown of East Kilbride. He must also stay under curfew from 8pm to 7am.

The family has since suffered further trauma after the discovery of a body on Friday that is understood to be Frew's uncle, Colin Ferguson, a 46-year-old diabetic with a history of depression who went missing on 11 May after visiting a memorial near where his nephew was found. The body, recovered from the River Clyde on Friday, is believed to be his.

Police said it was too early to say whether or not the death was suspicious. Last week his two nieces, Lorraine Fleming, 31, and Michelle Ferguson, 23, appealed for information about him, saying: "Colin is such a kind man who does so much for others – but we want to ensure that he knows we are all here for him too." Ferguson is the brother of Frew's mother Lorraine.

Frew was a popular pupil at Duncanrig. In 2008 he had been awarded a school prize for merit and outstanding endeavour and last year had appeared as Widow Twanky in a school production of Aladdin. He was a music fan and loved amateur dramatics.

Two Facebook pages have been set up in his memory. His school friends and local bands are now thought to be planning a music festival in his memory.

Following the funeral, a spokeswoman for South Lanarkshire Council said: "The young people showed a lot of maturity. They were very composed but there was laughter and tears shed for their friend Jack."