The funeral of Olivia Pratt-Korbel, the nine-year-old girl shot dead in Liverpool, is under way.

Mourners, who were asked to wear a “splash of pink” to remember her by, started arriving at the church in Knotty Ash shortly before the event started at 11am on Thursday.

Her mother Cheryl Korbel, who last week paid tribute to her “little shadow”, was among those at St Margaret Mary’s Church.

In a eulogy, Ms Korbel said Olivia had been born six weeks early and spent nine days in a special baby unit.

“She was so small yet even as a newborn she had her own mind,” she said.

She added that Olivia was independent and even as a toddler would pick the clothes she wanted to wear.

Ms Korbel said: “Although she loved sparkle and glitz she would never go overboard and she was very particular, even down to her socks.

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“Olivia was very chatty and bubbly and would talk for England, to the point we thought she had Duracell batteries inside her somewhere.”

People were seen lining the street as the youngster’s coffin arrived at the church in a horse-drawn carriage.

Lilies adorned the white coffin, which featured butterflies on the side, and unicorn and teddy bear-shaped flower decorations were placed alongside it in the white carriage.

Further flower arrangements saying “daughter” and “Liv” were inside the hearse that arrived at the church shortly before the carriage.

Many of the mourners wearing pink ribbons pinned to their outfits were in tears as the cortege arrived.

Police are continuing to hunt for the gunman who chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into Olivia’s family home at about 10pm on 22 August.

Olivia died from a gunshot wound to her chest caused by a bullet that had passed through the hand of her mother.

Another of those seen arriving for the mass was Olivia’s headteacher, Rebecca Wilkinson.

Pupils at St Margaret Mary’s Junior School, next to the church, were not expected to attend but were asked to wear pink.

Funeral company staff wore dark suits with pink cravats and pink butterfly brooches.

Ms Wilkinson said earlier: “We were mindful of the fact that the children had to take some sort of role today, in spite of the fact that they’re not going to the church.

“The wishes of the family in church were that everyone wears a splash of pink so today in school the children are all wearing a splash of pink.

“We have got pink hearts in the windows facing the main road, we have got pink ribbons on the fence.”

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