THREE weeks ago they survived the horrific bus crash high in the Andes that claimed the life of their best friend.

Yesterday, Charlotte Mardon-Heath and Jessica Last joined with hundreds of others to pay a final and lasting tribute to Georgia French.

Nineteen-year-old Georgia, from Davenant Road, North Oxford, died last month in an accident high in the Peruvian mountains where the three friends were just two weeks into a gap year trip of a lifetime.

Following a private funeral and burial yesterday morning, Georgia's family and friends packed St Andrew's Church, in Linton Road, North Oxford, for a service to remember and celebrate her life.

In moving tributes, Miss Mardon-Heath read from 1 Corinthians 13 and Miss Last spoke of the friendship with Georgia she thought would last forever.

Miss Last added it was a testament to Georgia that the only argument she could remember was over who got which slice of pizza, adding: "Georgia loved her pizza."

During the emotional service, Georgia's father Ian French brought smiles to faces as he remembered the scrapes his youngest daughter had been through, her love of travelling, animals and of having fun.

He said Georgia had loved her family, loved her friends and above all had loved life.

Mr French said if those who knew her created half the fun and love that Georgia had brought to the world that would be a lasting tribute to his daughter.

Georgia's older sister, Charlotte, also paid a moving tribute in which she spoke of the "unconditional love" she and her sister had for each other.

After the opening prayers, two of Georgia's friends, Sophie Kent and Jess Butcher, sang Flower Duet by Leo Delibes accompanied by Hannah Diss on the piano.

The hymns sung were Morning has Broken, The Lord's My Shepherd and Immortal, Invisible. As the service was brought to a close Miss Diss played Clair de Lune by Debussy on the piano as a montage of photographs from Georgia's life was shown on a large screen in the church.

Rev Guy Wilkinson, a family friend who took the service, said afterwards: "Ian, Charlotte with Pat Georgia's mother were incredibly courageous in taking the parts they did and that, with Georgia's friends who read or sang, made a moving tribute."