Family and friends' emotional farewell to Heath Ledger

Family, friends and fans bade an emotional farewell to the actor Heath Ledger in his home town of Perth, Australia, yesterday in a memorial service that began with a haunting Aboriginal lament.

The mournful atmosphere was later lifted by a moving tribute to the 28-year-old actor by actress Cate Blanchett, who spoke warmly about the time they spent together in New York and Los Angeles, and by eulogies from his parents and sister.

Ledger, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for Brokeback Mountain, died in a New York flat on 22 January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

The actor's former fiancée, Michelle Williams, mother of his two-year-old daughter Matilda, looked pale as she walked into the hall of a school which was the venue for the memorial service. Her eyes covered by dark glasses and clutching the hand of Ledger's sister, Kate, she smiled wanly as she was greeted by mourners.

Others who paid their respects were the model Gemma Ward, who was said to have recently had a relationship with Ledger, and stars including Bryan Brown and Rose Byrne. Mourners had to show identification to get into the service, which was tightly controlled by security guards.

A video tribute compiled by family and friends included footage from home videos, Ledger's films and a montage of his daughter, on whom he doted, set to a song written for her by Ben Harper called 'Happily Everafter in Your Eyes'. The music played reflected Ledger's tastes and included Bob Dylan's 'The Times They Are A-Changin' and the Beatles' 'Here Comes the Sun'.

Neil Armfield, who directed Ledger in his last Australian film, Candy, praised Ledger's talent.

The family and Williams left immediately for Fremantle cemetery, where Ledger was cremated. Only 10 people were present, according to reports.

Late yesterday afternoon, mourners gathered for a wake at a waterfront restaurant at Cottesloe Beach, a surfing resort.

Toxicology tests in the United States revealed that Ledger had consumed a mix of prescription painkillers, anti-anxiety pills and an over-the-counter antihistamine.