A mother and daughter who died in a fire at their home have been laid to rest side by side.

Friends and family gathered to pay tribute to Sally-Ann Baxter-Smith, 38, and her 14-year-old daughter Lois during a moving humanist service at Eastbourne crematorium.

The pair died from the effects of smoke after being dragged unconscious from their burning home in Beech Road, Eastbourne, by firefighters in the early hours of September 6.

Lois' 12-year-old sister and a nine-year-old boy who was staying the night jumped to safety from a window, escaping with minor injuries.

But Ms Baxter-Smith and Lois, a pupil at The Causeway School in Shinewater, near Eastbourne, later died in hospital.

There was standing room only inside the crematorium as Humanist David Cooper led tributes to a "caring, deeply loving" mother and "remarkable" young girl.

Floral tributes were kept to a minimum, with each coffin adorned with one beautiful bouquet and the names Sally and Lois spelled out in flowers.

The haunting voice of Eva Cassidy singing Over The Rainbow filled the air as people made their way inside but there was silence as the coffins were carried inside.

Mr Cooper described how mother and daughter used to love watching TV together.

He spoke of Ms Baxter-Smith's intelligence, her love of books, from Shakespeare to modern authors, and the way she lit up the lives of everyone who knew her.

Lois was remembered as "a child with a heart of gold", who became a well-liked mentor to younger children at school, where she received a special prize for her caring attitude to other pupils.

Mr Cooper told of her diverse musical tastes, which ranged from pop music to crooners like Frank Sinatra.

He then asked everyone to take a moment to remember Lois and her mother as one of her favourite songs, Gareth Gates' version of Unchained Melody, was played.

After more tributes from Mr Cooper and a reading of Psalm 23, friends and family made their way outside to say their final farewells.