THE TOWN will come to a standstill to mourn Sian O’Callaghan next week as her funeral cortege passes through Old Town.

Her family, still coming to terms with the news of the 22-year-old’s death last month, are to hold a service at the Kingsdown Crematorium on Monday.

The hearse carrying Sian, whose body was found by police in a field in Uffington, Oxfordshire, will travel slowly through Old Town at about 2.30pm to allow the hundreds of people expected to turn out to pay their last respects.

Popular office worker Sian disappeared while on a night out with friends at Suju nightclub in Old Town. Mini-cab driver Chris Halliwell, 47, of Nythe, has been remanded in custody charged with her murder.

Sian’s mother Elaine O’Callaghan again thanked people in the town but said she wanted to keep the service private.

She said: “The cortege will pass slowly through the town, which we felt was an expression of thanks to people who have shown their support.

“The ongoing support of the community and the police has been great and it has been a help.

“We want the service to be dignified and the family and Sian’s boyfriend Kevin [Reape] ask that our privacy is respected.

“The cortege will not stop at any point on the route but it will slow down for people who wish to pay their respects.”

Elaine said the family had rallied around to help each other get through the grief.

“I personally would like to thank my own family, particularly my children Aiden, Lora and Liam,” she said.

“They have been remarkably strong. Also other close friends and family who have been a huge help – they know who they are.

“We wanted to keep the service to about 90 people, all family and very close friends. The hearse itself will be very simple – there will only be family flowers.”

The 48-year-old also asked that any donations be made to charities, including Victim Support, Missing Persons, Wiltshire Search and Rescue and Prospect Hospice.

The £3,000 raised from events including the lantern service will be used for a permanent memorial at a later date.

“We chose those charities because they were specifically related to the help and support we got. We wanted to give something back.

“Kevin thought of WILSAR because they helped with the searches at Savernake and we wanted to give to Prospect because its local.

“The money already donated is going to be used for a memorial but that is going to take a lot of thought.”

The cortege will travel along the following route: Wootton Bassett Road, Kingshill, Bath Road, Devizes Road, Newport Street, Marlborough Road, Dorcan Way, Kingfisher Drive and on to Kingsdown Crematorium for 3pm.

There will be a police escort and a police presence at the gates of the crematorium.

For charitable donations contact Hilliers Funeral Service, in Victoria Road.