Ramarni Crosby: Funeral held for Gloucester teen killed in stabbing

The funeral of a 16-year-old boy killed in a stabbing has been held at Gloucester Cathedral.

Ramarni Crosby, from the Frampton on Severn area of Gloucestershire, suffered multiple stab wounds on 15 December in Stratton Road, Gloucester.

His devastated family said they feel his loss "every second of every day".

Delroy Ellis, who runs Increase The Peace, said Ramarni's death has "impacted the community really big and there's more we need to do as a city".

The youth worker said "today is about remembering Ramarni for the person he was, and he was a big big character".

The Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester, described the day as "really sad".

He said: "Sadly this is now the fourth time we've had to do this [in his 11 years] and I am aware the building will be full of teenagers and its remarkable how respectful they are".

He added the cathedral was happy to support the family and wider community and "to give that message that knife crime is so awful".

The cathedral tower, which he described as a "beacon of hope", has been lit up with Ramarni's favourite colour of blue for a week of remembrance leading up to his funeral.

School and college friend Kyle Portlock said the day was "overwhelming, it seems a bit surreal... I hope we do whatever we can to give [Ramarni] the best send off".

He added: "You can't really explain it, it's heart breaking [and] the way he passed it [is] just traumatising."

Ramarni has been described by his family as "a happy, cheeky, loving little boy that evolved into a warm and gentle young man".

His uncle, Danny Davis, ran 5km (3.1m) a day throughout January in his nephew's memory, helping raise more than £13,000 for Increase The Peace, a charity that supports vulnerable and disaffected young people in Gloucester and other knife crime charities.

Six people have so far been charged with Mr Crosby's murder.

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