Hundreds of mourners gather for altar boy Jimmy Mizen's funeral

As hundreds of mourners gathered for his son's memorial service, Barry Mizen questioned the value of passing law after law in an attempt to stop crimes like the killing of his son.

Exactly a week on from when Jimmy died after his neck was slashed with a shard of glass, he insisted people must look at themselves and make their own choice.

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Fighting back tears, Mr Mizen, 56, said: "It does not have to be like this. People are saying something must be done. I just wonder how futile it is with more and more legislation and laws."

His hand on his wife, Margaret's, back, he added: "Perhaps we all need to look to ourselves and look to the values we would like and our responses to situations in our life.

"Sometimes we might be drawn into certain ways of our living. It is our choice but change has got to come from all of us."

In an extraordinary show of humanity, the couple asked everyone to look out for each other as they dealt with their grief.

Mrs Mizen, 55, said: "If you see someone today give them a hug. There is not enough hugs and love around. That is what is missing."

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Her voice cracking with emotion, she insisted their was no point in blaming the family of the suspect accused of killing Jimmy.

"Anger breeds anger, and bitterness will destroy my family if I'm not careful - and I won't allow that to happen," she said.

Of her son, she simply added that he was a "gorgeous baby" who had been born on Cup Final Day in 1992.

Her sister had recently summed up Jimmy by describing him as "every mother's perfect son", Mrs Mizen said, adding that without her faith and the community's support, she would "be crumbling".

She and her husband had arrived at the Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Lee, south-east London, with Jimmy's brothers and sisters.

There, they were joined by hundreds of his teenage friends and well-wishers who packed into the church for the service, which included the hymn Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace and Kum Ba Yah.

Many others who could not find room stood outside and listened, crying as they huddled under umbrellas in the pouring rain.

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Inside the church, one of the Mizens' oldest sons, Danny, 30, paid tribute to his younger brother as his "little hero".

He urged everyone in the congregation to tell their siblings they loved them, because he never had and for Jimmy, it was now too late.

"It's funny because I do love them, especially Jimmy. He was such an amazing bloke, such an amazing character, such a zest for life," he said.

"Everyone knew Jimmy. He was the focal point - he just got on with everyone. There was not one single bad bone in his body."

In a direct message to his brother's school friends, many of whom are about to sit their GCSEs, he added: "When you find it difficult, when you are struggling, use Jimmy as your inspiration.

"Don't think of Jimmy's sadness - use his enthusiasm, use it as your inspiration. Don't hold yourself back because Jimmy never did. Use Jimmy to go out there and do well for yourselves."

Battling to keep his emotions in check, he added: "Jimmy was our brother, our friend and most of all our inspiration."

After the emotional 45-minute ceremony, the Mizens walked at the head of a crowd of mourners down the road to where Jimmy was killed.

Gathering near the Three Cooks Bakery, they all stood in silence in the rain by the piles of flowers and gifts left in tribute.

More prayers were eventually said and Mrs Mizen stepped forward to lay a bouquet of lilies to symbolise love and peace.

The schoolboy's classmates had to turn to each other for comfort while other well-wishers, friends and relatives paid their own private tributes.

Once the prayers were over, the Mizen family walked as one back to their home a short distance away.

Jimmy had been walking home a week ago today with one of his brothers when he was killed.

He would usually have been helping out in his father's shop but had been given the day off because it had been his 16th birthday the day before.

The rugby-mad teenager was almost home from a trip to buy his first ever lottery ticket when he popped into the bakery for a snack. It was a decision that cost him his life.

Among the flowers outside the bakery today were photos, balloons, candles and numerous school ties and blazers.

Even a guitar and a rugby shirt had been left in a poignant tribute to the "gentle giant".

• Jake Fahri, 19, from Lee, was charged with Jimmy's murder on Wednesday night and has since been remanded in custody.