MOURNING friends and relatives of drowning victim Moses Ngero packed a Melksham chapel to celebrate his life.

The 21-year-old Ugandan student drowned in a private swimming pool at the Kenilworth Gardens home of John Firth of the Good News Church.

The tragedy struck at the heart of the town's church community with more than 70 people attending a service at Queensway chapel on Tuesday, July 30.

Moses' grieving father Akisphero flew over from Uganda this week to attend his son's service.

The talented engineering student's body will be flown back to Uganda today for a burial in Kampala on Monday.

Mr Firth said a dozen people spoke about the joy Moses had brought to their lives in a touching two-hour service, including his father, aunt, and lecturers at the University of the West of England, where Moses was studying.

Colleagues from McDonald's in Chippenham and fellow students from the Bristol-based university also paid their final respects. Mr Firth said: "There were people from seven or eight congregations because Moses was loved by so many people.

"We all shared in the testimonies about Moses he made a big impact on our community. He had such an incredible faith in God. Everyone who heard him pray was absolutely touched.

"Lecturers said he was averaging marks of 88 per cent in his studies. He was an inspiration and students told me whenever they had a problem they turned to Moses."

Mr Firth, who still finds it hard to talk about the tragedy at his family home on July 13, said hundreds of people from Moses' homeland would turn out for his funeral.

He said: "I am going back to Uganda on Saturday to be at the burial. There will be hundreds of people including most of his family.

"The police have been so supportive and sensitive throughout this and if it wasn't for them Moses' father and aunt would not have been at his service in Melksham."

A post mortem examination revealed Moses died from drowning. An inquest has been opened and adjourned by Wiltshire coroner David Masters.