TRAFFIC through the centre of Evesham was brought to a halt today as hundreds of mourners paid their final respects to tragic brothers John and Joe Silwinski who were killed in a car crash 10 days earlier.

Police sealed off the High Street as two hearses carrying the brothers drove in silence to All Saints Church for the joint funeral service.

Flowers bearing their names decked their coffins as the hearses travelled in tandem from Leicester Grove where the boys mother, Joan Clear who lives at The Rynal was picked up from the family home.

As the two funeral cars travelled down Leicester Grove, silence fell in the town as police condoned off the Evesham High Street allowing the vehicles to travel side-by-side down to the church.

Motorists waited patiently while the hearses past and paid their respects, switching off their engines while observing silence until the hearses pulled into the main High Street making their journey towards All Saints Church were the family said their final goodbye.

Following the two hearses, friends and family members walked behind in silence leading up to the church.

Passers-by, shop workers, taxi drivers and coach drivers and dog walkers stopped the clock from their working day to pay their respects to the two young men.

As the coffins of Joe and John were led into the church the sound of wailing from their mother could be heard, carried on the wind, as friends and family stood in silence.

The church bells rang at 10.30am sharp marking the two coffins entrance into the church where the service was conducted by Rev Clive Parr. At the request of the family, the media were requested to remain outside.