Browns mourn their baby girl

Gordon Brown, sombre and ashen-faced, led his wife Sarah into church today for the funeral of their infant daughter, Jennifer Jane.

Surrounded by family, and by friends from the front rank of politics including Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie, the couple bade farewell to the child whose struggle for life ended when she was only 10 days old.

Jennifer, born seven weeks premature on 28 December, was buried in the windswept churchyard of St Bryce's in Kirkcaldy, Fife, where the Chancellor's late father, John, was minister during Mr Brown's childhood.

It was an occasion of infinite poignancy. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev Sheila Munro who married the Browns at their Fife home 18 months ago. She baptised Jennifer Jane at the specialist care unit in Edinburgh shortly before she died, cradled in her parents' arms, on Monday afternoon.

Mr Brown, who such a short time ago had rejoiced at the birth of his first child, took his wife by the hand as they entered the stonebuilt, Victorian kirk. Mrs Brown was pale and he helped her from their car as they arrived. The Chancellor's mother, Elizabeth, and his brothers, Andrew and John, were already in the church with family friends. Sarah Brown's mother Pauline and stepfather Patrick Vaughan arrived soon after.

The church was filled with Mr Brown's government colleagues. Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell was there with Work and Pensions Secretary Alistair Darling; Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell and former First Minister Henry McLeish were also present, with former Scottish education minister Sam Galbraith and Work Minister Nick Brown.

The Chancellor's former adviser Charlie Whelan attended, as did Mr Brown's friend, the Labour peer Lord Elder.

The printed order of service for the thanksgiving carried on its cover a picture of Jennifer taken soon after she was born in the Forth Park Maternity Hospital, a few hundred yards from the church. It bore the caption: "Jennifer, the first picture - sleeping, one hour old."

The service began with a welcome and call to worship by Rev Munro, then the hymn All People That On Earth Do Dwell. A prayer was said by the Rev Kenneth Froude, the minister of the Kirk, where Mr Brown's father served as parish minister from 1954 to 1967.

Mrs Brown's brother Sean gave the first reading, from The Beatitudes in St Matthew's Gospel: "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted."

Andrew Brown gave another reading from St Mark's Gospel. The biblical account of how Jesus rebuked disciples who tried to discourage people from bringing little children to be touched by him, was given by Mrs Brown's brother, Bruce Macaulay.

After Mrs Munro gave an address, the Chancellor's elder brother John, public relations chief for Glasgow Council, delivered a tribute in memory of Jennifer. The service ended with more prayers, the hymn Jerusalem and a benediction.

A message on the back of the order of service to mourners said: "Sarah and Gordon are grateful to the midwives, doctors, nurses and staff of Forth Park Hospital and The Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion who lovingly cared for Jennifer, and treasure all the messages of sympathy and support they have received."