Goodbye Carol Barnes

Carol Barnes, the former ITN newscaster, was laid to rest yesterday.

She died on March 8 after reportedly suffering a massive stroke. Carol was 63. She spent the last week of her life in a coma before passing away at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, Sussex.

Carol was laid to rest in a private funeral with family and close friends, including figures from the world of television news, biding her a final farewell. Former colleagues Nick Owen, Dermot Murnaghan, Alastair Stewart and Mark Webster joined with close family and friends for the funeral at the Downs Crematorium in Brighton near far from Carol's home.

The main chapel was used for the service and was filled to capacity for a short service which celebrated her love of life and laughter.

A candle was lit in her memory before family and friends recalled their memories of Carol and her life. Denis MacShane, Carol's former partner and father of her daughter Clare, said in a speech:
“Chin up, never cry, it will be bottom's up soon. It's Carol we're saying goodbye to. She wouldn't want weeping here.”
"If there's one thing that sums her up its laughter. She was always finding something to laugh at to get through a difficult situation.”
“Carol was someone who smiled and laughed her cares away. She was beautiful. Even in hospital her face was unlined, her blonde hair was still glowing, her beauty was undiminished."

Rev Jane Barton then read out words prepared by Carol's much loved son James Thompson 26, who talked about the difficulties his mother experienced during his teenage years:
"Where most would withdraw from the pain Mum endured, she did precisely the opposite, and opened her heart to the world, giving far more to our world than she kept in hers.
"She made me care, she made me love, she opened the world to me. If it wasn't for this, only God knows where I would be now."

What beautiful words, I wish I was able to think of such glorious things to say when I lost my mother. Brave lad.

A short excerpt from Jeff Buckley’s song ‘Alleluia’ was played, followed ‘With Or Without You’ by U2.

After the service, friends and colleagues paid tribute to her.David Mannion, editor in chief at ITN, who worked with Carol in her early years at ITN said:
"I think it was the most appropriate tribute to Carol I can ever imagine. There's no disputing this is a sad occasion but it has captured the essential Carol, which was someone who was always able to overcome difficulty in her life with a wonderful smile and laughter and would make everyone else laugh.”
“That smile that characterised Carol and the ability to laugh through adversity was the theme of the service. She was a tremendous professional and loving person to have as a friend.”

Close friend Alistair Stewart said:
“Carol had enormous love and laughter but enormous depth as well. I hope we celebrated all three.”

Dermot Murnaghan, who met Carol in 1989, said:
“I thought the service captured Carol's spirit. She was full of life and could always see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
“We're going to remember the joy and wonder she brought into our lives.”

Born in Norwich, Norfolk, Barnes graduated from Sheffield University and then went on to become one of Britain's best-known newscasters.

She started her working life as a teacher, before moving on to work in public relations and magazines and then into broadcasting, where she started in radio. Barnes was part of the launch team of radio station LBC in the early 1970s before she joined ITN as a reporter in 1976.

A memorial for Carol Barnes would be held on March 29 in Brighton.