TODAY'S funeral of Mathew Hornsby, the man stabbed to death in Freshbrook in April, is something his pregnant fiance has both dreaded and looked forward to.

For 17-year-old Shaley Winter it will mark the end of more than three months of agonising pain at not being able to lay to rest the man she called "her gentle giant".

Builder Mathew, 25, died in an incident in Leslie Close after an altercation that started outside the Fresh-brook Community Centre and ended in tragedy following a chase through the estate.

Now Shaley has to face saying one last goodbye to the man she was looking forward to spending the rest of her life with, comforted only by the fact a part of Mathew continues to grow inside her.

Having had two scans, Shaley's face lit up when she says that her baby is almost certain to be a boy when she gives birth in November.

And in a poignant tribute to Mathew she has decided to change her surname, and name their son Mathew David John Hornsby.

The couple planned to marry at Lydiard Church and its vicar, the Rev Ann Mackenzie, will take today's service at Kingsdown Cemetery.

Among the songs Shaley has chosen are Mirrors by Sally Oldfield, I Have a Dream by Abba and Forever Autumn by Jeff Wayne.

Fighting back the tears, she said: "That has been the one thing that has given me comfort and kept me going knowing that a part of Mathew continues to live on after all of this.

"We always said that we would get married, but he wanted to do it properly when we both had some money.

"For some reason we spoke about what would happen if one of us died and Mathew wanted to be cremated. I will keep his ashes until December and then scatter them by a tree in Lydiard Park.

"That was a very special place for us, because we always used to go there. I am planning to buy a bench with a plaque to put in the park in his memory and when our son is born we can both go and sit there.

"Today is something that I've got to do for Mathew. I wanted to read a tribute, but I don't think I would have been able to.

"I have just been waiting for the funeral, but now it is here its seems like it has come round so quick.

"I still can't believe he has gone, we had so much planned and so much we wanted to do.

"If I walk to my mum's house I always see Mathew with his dog he's everywhere I go. He is my guardian angel looking down on us and taking care."

n Four men are currently being held in custody in connection with the murder of Mathew Hornsby.

Michael Ephgrave, 19 and his 42-year-old father, Andrew, of Holbein Close, Grange Park, Daniel Porter, 28, of no fixed abode and Nicholas Sheppard, 35, of Godolphin Close have all denied murder and are due to appear before Bristol Crown Court in September.