“SHE was a beautiful shining light in the world.”

That was how a devastated father described his daughter, who died only a month after giving birth, as family and friends said an emotional goodbye.

More than 100 mourners gathered at Romsey Abbey for a memorial service to celebrate the life of Becci Dadswell following her funeral last week.

The 35-year-old, formerly of Romsey, had given birth to daughter Bella four weeks before her death.

She started suffering from acute pains on January 5.

She died two-and-a-half hours later at Whiston Hospital, near Liverpool. It is not yet known what caused her death.

Butterfly references ran through yesterday’s service, with a butterfly poem and butterflies on the order of service.

Music included Becci’s version of Everytime by Britney Spears and a song she had written and performed herself called Find My Way, accompanied by a montage of photographs of Becci, including some of her daughter, on a large screen.

Opening the service, strains of the theme from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast from the organ echoed around the church.

Family and long-time friends, often close to tears, shared their memories of happy times with Becci and paid tribute to her kindness and love of life.

Father Alan Butler described her childhood growing up in the Romsey area when the family moved there in 1987, her time at the La Sagesse school and Romsey Community School and nights out at The Tavern pub, now called The Phoenix.

He told of how she had hoped one day to return to Romsey to live and how her life had been complete with the birth of Bella.

Paying tribute, he said: “From the moment she was born she was a little angel and grew into a happy, beautiful woman.

“She had a sunny smile, bright sparkling eyes and a bubbly personality.

“She was like a butterfly – she came into our lives, she spread her love and liveliness and flew away. Our angel was too good for this world.

“She gave us enough joy and love to last a normal lifetime.”

There were also tributes read out from Becci’s husband, fellow police officer Simon Dadswell, and his two teenage daughters.

Simon, described by Becci’s friends as the love of her life, said: “She changed my life and my family’s life for the better and forever.

“Her attitude to life was amazing – she was an inspiration to me.

“She appreciated everything she did in life. She was the loveliest and most positive person I have ever met.

“You will be forever in my heart.”

l Becci’s family and friends have launched an appeal to help raise money for Bella’s future education. Donate at gogetfunding.com/project/becci -dadswell.