Over 1000 attend Stuart Walker's funeral.

  More than 1000 people attended the funeral of the murdered barman Stuart Walker last week.

It was a crime that attracted worldwide headlines due to the horrific way in which  Mr Walker died.  The young gay man was found “horrible” injuries at a lampost near an industrial estate in the Scottish town of Cumnock last month.  Not only had he been savagely beaten he had also been set on fire. 

Many of the Cumnock's  9000 inhabitants attended the funeral service for the man that was the “life and soul of our family” according to his sister.    She also said: “You were our ray of sunshine when you were here. And now you will forever be our brightest star, watching over us.”

The day of Stuart’s death, 22 October, was described as “one of the darkest in Cumnock’s recent history” by the vicar, Reverend Patterson.  A Leona Lewis track was played as around 600 mourners following the hearse to the town cemetery.

Earlier this month an  18-year-old who was arrested and has now been charged with murder, theft and attempting to pervert the course of justice.  Ryan Esquierdo, also from Cumnock, remains in police custody, however as yet there are no answer to question the family and the community most desperately seek,    why he had taken the life is this friendly and popular man.