The family of popular Trowbridge nurse Sally Emery were overwhelmed by the community support they received at her funeral in Devizes last Friday.

Mrs Emery, 44, of Cornbrash Rise, Hilperton, died when the Suzuki Alto she was driving collided head-on with a Chrysler Grand Voyager near the Iford Manor turning on June 24.

The funeral of the mother-of-three, who worked at Southbroom Surgery in Devizes, was held at the town’s Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church.

Husband Mark Emery, 47, said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone who came. We were staggered as there must have been about 400 or 500 people who paid their respects.”

The Emerys’ children, Natalie, 19, Charlotte, 16, and Samuel, 12, asked guests to wear brightly coloured clothes out of respect for their mum’s bubbly personality.

A wake was held at The Crown, in New Park Street, where Mrs Emery previously worked behind the bar and Mr Emery had worked on the door.

Charlotte, an aspiring judo star, who won a bronze medal at the British Junior (U21) Championships in Sheffield earlier this year, suffered a broken wrist in the collision which killed her mother.

The Emerys are members of Devizes Budo Club and the town’s boat club. This weekend they are going on the family narrowboat to the Inland Waterways Associat-ion National Festival in Watford to honour Mrs Emery. Mr Emery said: “We got the boat about six years ago. To break the ice, Sally dyed a pair of underpants in multi-colours and flew them from the boat. We have brought the same pants with us and we are going to fly them this weekend as a tribute.”