White lilies and few mourners as Hindley is cremated

The body of Myra Hindley, who died in hospital last week aged 60, was cremated at a short ceremony in Cambridge last night.

After more than 30 years of notoriety, the Moors murderer left this world with little fuss and none of the disruption police had feared, but for one placard left at the crematorium gates. It read: Burn in hell.

Less than a dozen people, none of them family members, attended the simple 20-minute ceremony on the outskirts of the city. Hindley's mother, Nellie, 82, was too frail to travel from her home in Manchester for the cremation.

Scores of reporters and photographers waited in heavy drizzle outside the modern brick building as the hearse bearing Hindley's body drew up just before 7.30pm.

A minicab and a Mercedes car carrying mourners, including Hindley's solicitor, Andrew McCooey, were driven to the back of the building. Her former partner, Nina Wilde, and Lady Astor, whose late husband David championed Hindley's release, were also thought to be invited.

Father Michael Teader, who gave Hindley the last rites, sprinkled the light beech coffin with holy water before four pall-bearers grasped its gold handles and carried it to the chapel.

A wreath which included white lilies and orange gerberas lay on top of the coffin, alongside bouquets of crysanthemums. Police said the floral tributes were to be destroyed, although cards would be kept for Hindley's family.

There was no sign of the protesters who police had feared might try to disrupt the service. Twenty-five officers were on duty and the building was searched 90 minutes before the service.

Father Teader, who befriended Hindley in his role as Catholic priest at Highpoint prison, conducted a short mass and there was a single piece of music which Hindley had chosen when she learned she was dying, according to her solicitor.

Albinoni's Adagio is frequently chosen for funerals and was played at the service for Diana, Princess of Wales.

Then the blue velvet curtains closed around the catafalque on which Hindley's coffin lay.

Her body had been under guard at West Suffolk hospital, Bury St Edmunds, and made the 30-mile journey to Cambridge under police escort.

Superintendent John Raine, in charge of policing the operation, said it had not cost the public any extra money because they had chosen its time and location to prevent the need to draft in more officers.

"It is not a particularly sizeable operation," he said. "We are simply here to ensure a dignified funeral is able to take place. We are alive to the possibility that there may be people who would like to express their disapproval."

They are also likely to have chosen a night-time ceremony to prevent the media presence from affecting other funerals. All those involved with Hindley are aware of the degree of fear and hatred aroused by her name even after her death; West Suffolk hospital yesterday said it had cleared and redecorated the room where she died because they were "sensitive" to other patients' feelings.

The standard £340 cost of the ceremony was paid for from Hindley's estate. Her ashes were to be given to a prison service representative for disposal at a location decided by Hindley's family.

Burial was ruled out because it was thought her grave would be desecrated.

Hindley, a 40-a-day chain smoker, died from pneumonia brought on by heart disease.

She was jailed for life at Chester assizes in 1966 for murdering Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17, and of being an accessory to the murder of John Kilbride, 12. In 1987 she confessed her role in the killings of Keith Bennett, 12, and Pauline Reade, 16.