Ref. 30939-14HUNDREDS of mourners bid a tearful farewell to tragic teenager Matthew Styles and friends donned specially-made replica England shirts bearing his name.

The 19-year-old labourer from Gorse Hill was killed a fortnight ago when the car in which he was a passenger crashed in Swindon's Pinehurst Road.

Many of the 450-strong congregation were forced to stand in the aisles throughout yesterday's 40-minute service testimony to Matthew's popularity.

The Reverend Canon Alastair Stevenson, of St Barnabas Church, read a short eulogy from Mike Summers, Matthew's former teacher at Headlands School.

He paid tribute to a "lively and thoroughly well-liked young man", in whom his peers could instil 100 per cent trust.

Mourners were told that Matthew, who lived for football, was rarely seen without his trademark smile.

His death came just a week before the start of Euro 2004.

And as a special tribute friends bought England shirts with "Styler 19" emblazoned on the back, ensuring that his memory lives on.

Next month, he was due to jet off with them to Magaluf for a week's holiday and Rev Stevenson urged them not to cancel their plans because Matthew would not have wanted that.

He said: "He lived life in the fast lane and was always upbeat and the biggest person in the crowd.

"You should go and have a good time if you don't somebody very close to you will be livid."

At the end of the service, a group of about 50 gathered outside for a moment of quiet reflection.

As Mathew's coffin led by his family was carried outside, the small sea of red shirts parted to form a special passage in their own final tribute to a special friend.

The Rev Stevenson later added: "It was amazing to see the amount of camaraderie between these guys. Matthew had a fitting send-off."

Former classmate Neil McGovern, 19, of Pinehurst, reckoned Matthew would have been honoured by the response.

He said: "He would have loved us all wearing our England shirts he always had to wear his shorts and shirt even if it was a bit cold."

Jamie Walsh, 20, of Penhill Drive also a former classmate said he would forever remember Matthew as a popular lad who lived life to the full.

"He was a great lad. You can tell how much people respected him by the amount of people here today."

Fran Logan, 64, of Penhill, recently retired from Tesco's supermarket, where she worked with Matthew's mother.

She heaped praise on the teenagers who ensured Matthew had the best possible send-off.

"I would be proud to call any of these children my own," she said. "They have given 100 per cent support to their friend's family.

"I know Matthew's mum well and she is a lovely lady.

"I have five children of my own and I can't imagine the pain that this family is going through at the moment."

Kevin Shoesmith