Friends and family were due to gather today to pay their final respects to a zoo keeper crushed to death by an elephant.
Darren Cockrill, formerly of Southfalls Road, Canvey, was killed in the accident at Port Lympne Wildlife Park near Hythe, Kent earlier this month.
The memorial service, to celebrate Darren's life, was due to be held at St Nicholas' Church, Long Road, Canvey today.
The 27-year-old, a former pupil at Furtherwick Park School on Canvey, was found dead in the elephant enclosure after suffering multiple injuries earlier this month.
Mr Cockrill was an experienced keeper who left Colchester Zoo eight years ago to work at Port Lympne, which breeds elephants.
Bosses at the zoo, owned by millionaire John Aspinall, ordered workers not to go near Indian elephant La Petite after it killed Darren on February 7, but they refused to have the 2.5 ton elephant put down.
Crushed - Darren Cockrill
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