Funeral held for Aberdeen pupil Bailey Gwynne

The coffin of Bailey Gwynne is carried to a hearse following his funeral service at Maryculter Parish Church in Aberdeenshire. Picture: PA

Bailey Gwynne died after he was allegedly attacked at Cults Academy at the end of his lunch break on October 28.

The fifth year pupil was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he died two hours later, despite efforts to save him.

The teenager lived with his parents Kate Gwynne, 33, and John Henderson and four younger brothers in Kirkton of Maryculter, a small village across the River Dee several miles away from the school.

Yesterday they gathered with other family and friends to say their final goodbyes to the “gentle” teenager at his funeral which was held at Maryculter Parish Church at 12pm.

More than 300 mourners attended the half-hour service at the kirk which is a short distance along the same street from the family home.

Bailey’s father John welcomed mourners as they arrived at the church door, shaking hands with Bailey’s school friends and hugging relatives and friends of the family as they stepped inside.

Fellow pupils turned up in their Cults Academy school uniforms with green blazers and dark trousers while other teenagers, and younger children, arrived wearing black suits and ties.

The school’s headteacher Anna Muirhead also attended along with other teachers.

Music played at the Church of Scotland service included the Rolling Stones classic hit Wild Horses, a Paolo Nutini track and Rihanna’s Shine Like a Diamond. The school chaplain and the minster of the parish church conducted the service with prayers said at the end for Bailey.

Pallbearers, including Bailey’s father, then carried the coffin from the church to the hearse which led a procession of family members further down the road to the burial site at the cemetery.

Bailey’s death shocked the community where he lived on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

The teenager had lived there for several years and played football with other children living in the small village at a park in front of the church.

The pupil was described as being a popular teenager who was known to many other teenagers at his school.

Dozens of bouquets of flowers were laid down outside the school gates along with touching handwritten messages in the days after his death.

The school’s headteacher Anna Muirhead said teachers and pupils were “totally devastated”.