THE mum of the tragic My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding twins today paid a heartbreaking tribute to her “babies” at their joint funeral.
Billy and Joe Smith’s mum, Sarah, told mourners the pair have “gone to play with angels”, after they were found hanged side-by-side three days after Christmas.
The young pair left relatives a suicide note before they were found dead in woodland they used to play in as kids.
Hundreds of people lined the streets to pay tribute to the popular brothers – who had just turned 32 before taking their lives.
Their heartbroken mum read out a letter from the twins to her as part of the emotional service.
She also paid tribute to them with a poem, which read: “Billy and Joey, my babies, you are so very special and we’re so from the start. I held you in my arms and deeply in my heart.
“You have now gone to play, with angels in the heaven up above. We will keep your special memories and treasure them with love.
“Although, my darling babies, you were with us just a while, you will live in our hearts forever, with your remembered smiles.”
“My Lord, please hold them in your arms, and treasure them with care. Make up for all they suffered, and all they had to bear.
“Please whisper in their ears, in case they didn’t hear, how much we truly love them, and wish they still were here.”
Women dressed in red and black and stiletto heels gathered at the back of the carriages as the twins’ coffins were placed down after the hour-long service.
A cousin sobbed and said: “I love you my baby, I love you my cousin” as she pressed her hands on Billy’s coffin from the back of the open carriage.
The funeral procession started at gran Phoebe Smith’s house this morning, with hundreds walking with the coffins to church.
Extravagant floral tributes filled the front garden of the semi-detached house in Sevenoaks, Kent.
One formed a Jack Daniel’s bottle, another was in the shape of “Billy and Joe’s red wine” while two made up silver and gold Rolex watches.
And with the funeral taking place on Valentines Day, dozens of Ferrero Rocher chocolates filled a heart of roses.
Billy and Joe’s favourite songs were playing on a speaker, while mourners passed round bottles of Jack Daniel’s as they gathered to admire the tributes.
Red heart balloons tied to the garden fence read “I love you” and “We will always belong together”.
One note on the Jack Daniel’s floral tribute said: ” To my pals Bill and Joe. Gone but never forgotten. Always in our thoughts.”
A pair of white horses with white feathered plumes on their heads pulled the carriages containing the white coffins of the brothers.
Joey, who was born first, was in the first carriage while Billy followed behind in the second carriage.
The route took mourners along High Street towards St John the Baptist Church – a journey of nearly two miles.
They will be laid to rest at Greatness Cemetery after the public church service in Sevenoaks, Kent.
More than 100 people began to walk from the family home behind the horse-drawn carriages.
One tribute left ahead of the service said: “To Kent’s biggest two legends. I will miss you both very much. Until we meet again boys.”
The carriage carrying Joey had the word “Daddy” spelt out in white flowers on its roof while Billy had “Uncle” on top of his.
Pictures of the twins were displayed on each side of the carriages, which were being driven by people dressed all in black, to show family and friends who was in each one.
Married dad-of-two Joey had been suffering from cancer months before their deaths, but had been given the all-clear.
Mourners were welcomed to the sounds of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” before an introduction and welcome from Father Robin.
UB40’s “Many Rivers To Cross” then rang through the aisles as per the boys’ request before Fr Robin’s opening prayer.
In a touching poem printed in the order of service, Billy and Joe’s friends paid tribute to their trips to McDonald’s: “To the boys from your closest friends, words will never be able to convey.
“The emptiness we feel today.”
The pair vanished on December 28 after leaving a note for loved ones saying they “wanted it like this”.
It also reportedly told relatives “would find them in the woods where they played with the family years ago”.
They were later discovered hanging side-by-side, with a cause of death given as suspension.
Billy and Joey appeared on Channel 4 reality shows My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, and My Big Fat Gypsy Holiday in 2013.
One episode followed them during a gardening shift in Kent, where they discussed the traveller lifestyle before getting married.
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
Paddy Doherty paid tribute to the brothers, saying he understood the toll cancer could take after his own prostate cancer battle.
He said: “I suffered with depression once upon a time, I know what it’s like and I’m not ashamed to say it.
“When I found out I had prostate (cancer), my head messed up big time.
“No one knows it until you’re in that situation.”
A Facebook page set up in memory of Billy and Joe has more than 4,000 “likes”, with tributes posted from family and friends.
One post on it reads: “RIP Billy and Joe two twin brothers came into this world together and went into the next together…
“This is a memorial page to help the family through their grief, and so everyone can look at the Bill and Joe we all knew and loved x.”
