THANK YOU – that’s the message from a grieving Weymouth family who say they have been ‘overwhelmed’ by an outpouring of support from the community following the death of their little girl.

The Brown family, who will be saying farewell to Alexys at her funeral this Friday and are inviting the community to join them, have moved to thank wellwishers for their touching messages and donations which have poured in after the tragic death of the five-year-old, known as Lexi.

They said it has been a ‘great comfort’ in their dark hours as the support has been helping them to cope.

The funeral at St Paul’s Church at 12pm will be followed by a private burial and then a child-friendly gathering at the New Vic at 1pm where there will be face painting, glitter tattoos, and a visit from Frozen characters Elsa and Anna.

Donations will be invited for a school trip for Lexi’s class at Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School.

Lexi died in a tragic incident at her Emmadale Close home on August 13.

The family – mum Lorraine, 30, dad Matt, 31, and Lexi’s brother Jack, 11, and sister Sienna, nine, have been inundated with cards, gifts and flowers by numerous people from all over, many they don’t even know.

Their front garden has become a shrine to Lexi, filled with teddies, candles, flowers and little windmills. It is hoped a permanent memorial in the form of ‘Lexi’s fairy garden’ will be established there in future.

Meanwhile, a fundraising campaign started by friend Ali Record to allow the family to ‘grieve without financial worry’ has raised more than £34,000.

It is intended that part of this will be used to pay for alterations to the family home ahead of them moving back there in the next few months. They have had to move out while an investigation is carried out.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the death of her daughter, mum Lorraine said the family had been deeply moved by the response from the Weymouth community and beyond.

She said: “It is indescribable. The response has been completely overwhelming. We’ve been inundated with so many messages, it has been a great comfort. It has kept us busy reading through all the cards, the tributes, many from people we don’t even know.

“The children have been reading everything.

“It’s helped us all through the worst times.”

Teaching assistant Lorraine, whose husband Matt is a self-employed window fitter, added: “We would like to thank everyone. The money that has been raised – it’s not something we asked for – it’s amazing that people have done this to say they’re thinking of us.”

She said the family aim to move back into their home in the next few months but want it remodelled enough so they can have a fresh start. Lexi’s room will be left untouched.

Lorraine said the day of Lexi’s death was the ‘worst day of her life’ and although she can’t change it or go back the family have been able to ‘gently move forward’ thanks to support from the community.

She described Lexi as the ‘happiest, smiliest, cheekiest’ girl.

Lorraine added: “She loved taking selfies, she loved the film Frozen. She was a proper girly girl who loved make-up and doing hair. She was the happiest, most perfect five-year-old.”