Published: Thursday, 21st May, 2009 8:00am

'The town will never be the same again'

by Adam Hewitt

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Greatly missed: Chris Pickett

HUNDREDS of mourners paid their last respects to a popular young bartender and musician from Earley.

Family, friends and colleagues of Chris Pickett, 21, who was found dead earlier this month, packed out Earley St Peter"s Church on Tuesday for his funeral.

He was well-known in Reading as a barman at Dogma in Castle Street and throughout Earley, where he lived in Pitt"s Lane with parents Steve and Sandra, sisters Samantha and Jemma and brother Alex.

The Rev Derek Spears led the service and said: 'Christopher came from a deeply loving family whom he loved in return. He was making plans for the future and was full of life and joy. He will never know how much he was loved and how much he will be missed.'

Chris's family at the funeral on Tuesday

Chris was born in Reading, and lived in Spencer"s Wood before moving to Earley in 1993. He went to St Peter"s primary school, Bulmershe and then Henley College to study photography and music.

He later became a waiter at Reading University, then worked as a barman at the Slug and Lettuce, Dogma and Glo in the town centre before returning to Dogma as an assistant manager and cocktail maestro.

Friend Alex Bailey, 21, from Earley worked at Dogma with Chris until last year and said: 'He was always happy, I don"t think I ever saw him not smiling. He was a great lad. It"s such a tragedy.'

His friends paid tributes to him during the service - one said 'Reading will never be the same again,' while another called Chris 'the most loyal friend I have ever had.' One floral tribute was in the shape of a cocktail glass, another a drum - two of the things he loved most.

Kyle Turner, 18, from Earley, the boyfriend of Chris"s sister Samantha, said: 'He was the legend of Reading. I"m wondering if he knew, looking how many people are here, just how many people thought so much of him.'

Chris's friend Christian Brix, 26, a bartender a few doors down at Sahara, said: 'He was an awesome guy, a happy-go-lucky sort - just the last person you would have expected this from.'

Kayleigh Andrews, 19, is best friends with Chris"s sister Samantha.

She said: 'He was a great guy, the life and soul of the party. He was just so much fun and incredibly laid back.'

Chris was found dead at home on the morning of Monday, May 4, but police are not treating his death as suspicious. There will be an inquest into his death in October.