FAMILY and friends of A36 crash victims Philip Butler and Jennifer Jones gathered to celebrate their lives this week.

Mourners paid tribute to Mr Butler’s love of Stoke City Football Club by draping his coffin in the team’s scarf at his service of thanksgiving, which took place on Tuesday at St Philip and St James' Church in Chapmanslade.

Mr Butler, 61, from Westbury, a former vice principal of Wiltshire College, was an avid supporter of the team, as he was born in Stoke on Trent, and several floral tributes were themed around the club’s red and white colours too at the service, conducted by Reverend Pauline Reid.

A ceremony of hope and compassion was held in the same church on Wednesday for popular animal lover Jennifer Jones, 28, who also died in the crash on the A36 between Crockerton and Heytesbury on July 13.

The former Matraver’s student who was a tutor at Fairfield Farm College was taken to the church and later to Westbury cemetery by a horse-drawn hearse, where her ashes have been interned next to the grave of Mr Butler.

Dr Susanne Jones, the partner of Mr Butler and mother of Ms Jones, paid tribute to both of them during the services and their coffins were carried in to their favourite pop songs, Yours is No Disgrace by Yes and Diamonds by Rihanna.

A large number of Ms Jones’ colleagues from Fairfield Farm College, where she worked as a tutor, were also in attendance and a tribute was read out on behalf of them.

The pair died after the Ford Mustang Mr Butler was driving collided with a Morrisons delivery lorry, travelling in the opposite direction between the Crockerton and Heytesbury roundabouts. Ms Jones was the rear seat passenger.

The family say donations are welcome in Mr Butler’s memory to Dorothy House Hospice or Douglas MacMillan Hospice in Stoke-on-Trent and to either Fairfield Farm College or Wiltshire Air Ambulance in memory of Ms Jones.

This can be done by contacting Arthur W Mays Funeral Directors in Westbury: 01373 822764