POTENZA in southern Italy was declared a town in mourning on Saturday for the funeral of Elisa Claps, the student believed to have been slain by Bournemouth man Danilo Restivo 18 years ago.

People hung white sheets from their balconies and thousands gathered in the Piazza Don Bosco to pay their last respects to the 16-year-old.

Also present were police, civil defence volunteers, the Red Cross and members of the fire brigade and ambulance service.

The coffin, decked with white flowers, left the funeral home in total silence, but when it arrived in the square, followed by Elisa’s mother Philomena and brothers Luciano and Gildo, it was met with long and heartfelt applause.

A large smiling picture of Elisa was on display outside the Don Bosco Church as the open air service was conducted by priest and anti-mafia campaigner Don Marcello Cozzi.

He told the crowd: “Repent: you who have been silent for 18 years will one day face the judgement of God.”

All public and commercial activities in the town were suspended while the service was taking place. Earlier, the mayor had appealed to citizens wishing to attend the ceremony to respect the pain of the family and use the occasion for meditation and prayer.

The discovery of Elisa’s remains in a loft at the Most Holy Trinity Church in the town in March last year provided vital evidence towards securing Restivo’s conviction for the 2002 murder of a Charminster neighbour, seamstress Heather Barnett.

The hair fetishist had left Heather’s mutilated body to be found by her son and daughter when they returned home from school Elisa disappeared after going to meet Restivo at the church in September 1993. Her family and others in Potenza have long suspected that her death was covered up.

Restivo, 39, has already been told that he will spend the rest of his life in jail, but is expected to be extradited to Italy to be tried for Elisa’s murder.