Hundreds of mourners gathered in Wiltshire today for the funeral of a "perfect couple" and their "sweet" young son whose bodies were discovered at the bottom of cliffs.

Neil Puttick, 34, and his Japanese wife Kazumi, 44, were found dead at Beachy Head in East Sussex last month, three days after their disabled son, Samuel, died of meningitis at their home in Westbury.

The five-year-old had been discharged from hospital after being given no hope of survival and died that evening.

Today, three coffins arrived at All Saints Church in Westbury, with young Sam's adorned with toy tractors and flowers.

More than 200 family and friends filled the 14th century church.

An order of service with hymns, prayers and poems was handed out, in both English and Japanese.

After hymns All Things Bright And Beautiful and Shine Jesus Shine were sung, the song Edelweiss was played - from Sam's favourite film The Sound Of Music.

Sam was confined to a wheelchair following a car crash when he was 18 months old and his parents looked after him with the help of nurses and carers.

Sam's body was found in a rucksack about 400ft down the notorious suicide spot, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, alongside his parents' bodies on June 1 by coastguards on routine patrol.

Tributes were paid to the family by Masayo Ward, Toby Roe, Hugh Todd and Sam's headteacher at Westbury Leigh School. Mary Murray.

Ms Ward was a colleague of Mrs Puttick at Honda.

Addressing Mrs Puttick, she said: "Every day we met at morning break, lunchtime and afternoon, but you still used to send me emails in between.

"We found our work very hard and we needed each other's support. The reason I still enjoyed the days was because of your friendship. Thank you for the friendship you have given me."

She went on: "I can still remember the day you told me you were pregnant. Perhaps you didn't need to tell me that - I could tell it by the way you looked.

"After you left work to have Sam, I dropped into your house on the way home. There I found a very proud mother. You stood in the newly decorated baby's room. It was beautiful.

"When Sam arrived into this world, it was the final touch to complete the picture you were drawing. You, Neil and Sam together - how happy a picture it was."

She added: "No words would give justice to the love and effort you gave to your little Sam. Do we need words? No, all we have to do was to look at Sam's smile - it told us everything."

Mr Todd, a friend and colleague of Mr Puttick's at the charity the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), said: "Side by side, Neil and I ran hundreds of miles in training for the London Marathon. "As we ran, we talked about our hopes and desires. In later years he would talk about his pure and uncluttered love for Kazumi and Sam." He went on: "Neil was a solid and immovable character. He was beautifully English. He was the most jovial of gents. "Today, in the midst of these most painful times, while Neil's amazing qualities as a man, husband, friend and father have been thrown into sharp relief, I will at least take comfort in knowing tomorrow and every day I will follow Neil's example." Ms Murray was joined at the front of the church by teachers from her school. She said: "It's been a real privilege to have Sam at our school, the whole school community is richer for knowing him and witnessing his courage and determination. "Sam joined us last September and he really settled into school very well and was fully integrated into his class. He had lots of classmates and often had them round for tea. He was just beginning to read and record his work. The school community holds Neil and Kazumi in the highest esteem despite Sam's considerable disabilities, they too were very determined that Sam should attend mainstream school and lead as normal a life as possible. "We are very grateful that they chose our school." Thoughts from some of the children at Westbury Leigh School were then read to the congregation. They included: "I liked talking to Sam. I liked playing with Sam. Sam used to smile at me. I like Sam's lunchbox. I liked playing games with Sam." And finally: "Sam cheered me up when I hurt myself, because that's what friends do. I will miss Sam because Sam made me feel happy."