7:22am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Emily Walker, Chief Reporter
UPDATE: The father of two East Sussex toddlers allegedly killed by their mother has paid an emotional farewell to them at their funeral.
The bodies of three-year-old Harry Donnison and two-year-old Elise were taken into the crematorium in a double coffin, so small it barely needed three people to lift it.
Half was painted blue and half pink, with blue and pink teddy bear floral tributes lying alongside it in the hearse. Some mourners also carried balloons in the same colours for the brother and sister, whose bodies were found in the boot of their mother's car in January.
Their father Paul read a poem to them at Mortlake Crematorium in Richmond, south west London, ending with the poignant line: "Goodnight Harry and Elise, until I see you again, Dad."
The children's mother, 43-year-old Fiona Donnison, did not attend, although members of her family were present.
Mr Donnison was one of the first to arrive at the crematorium next to the River Thames and was the last to leave after spending time looking at the floral tributes left to his children.
The toddlers' bodies were found in separate holdalls in a Nissan car near their former family home in Heathfield, East Sussex, on January 27. The grim discovery came after their mother visited a local police station distressed.
Donnison, of Marshwood Road, Lightwater, Surrey, has been remanded to a medium-secure psychiatric unit at The Dene institution in West Sussex, charged with their murders.
She will appear at a plea and case management hearing at Lewes Crown Court on April 23.
Initial post-mortem examination results showed the children died from asphyxia and had been dead for less than 24 hours when they were found.
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