THE priest who led the funeral service for tragic schoolgirl Regane MacColl has ­described her "wonderful and caring" nature.

Father Joe Mills said 17-year-old Regane had left a painful void in the church and community and told how she loved working with the children's group at St Mary's Church in Duntocher, Clydebank.

Regane was laid to rest surrounded by family members and friends numbering "close to 1000", according to Father Mills.

They filled all 500 seats in the church for Regane's funeral service yesterday morning, with a further 500 standing in the aisles and even outside the packed chapel.

Regane, from Clydebank, collapsed following a drug ­incident at The Arches night club in Glasgow on Saturday, February 1.

She died the next morning at Glasgow Royal Infirmary with her family at her side.

Father Mills said: "Regane was a wonderful and caring child, and we must not forget that, at 17-years-old, she was just a child.

"Some of the pictures of her in the press seem to suggest she was a grown-up clubber, but that's not how we knew her here at St Mary's.

"She was still a child and ­totally vulnerable.

"She had been to a mission in Tanzania and loved the children there. She also loved working with the children's group here in our parish."

Father Mills said he had been to Regane's school - St Peter The Apostle High in Clydebank - to speak with teachers and pupils and added that the feeling of love was very strong.

He said: "The teachers ­offered support to Regane's colleagues and that little girl left behind a real feeling of love at her school.

"The teachers have been wonderful. And Regane's family, although they are in total grief and have been since she died in hospital, have also been wonderful.

"We were all so shocked to hear what happened to her."

Following Regane's death, family and many friends rushed to pay tribute to the teenager.

Head teacher at St Peter The Apostle, Linda Booth, ­described the sixth-year pupil as "popular, hard-working and enthusiastic".

Her popularity was evident yesterday by the many people who turned out to say their final farewell to the schoolgirl, with the streets around the church lined with the cars of those ­attending Regane's funeral.

Mourners wore vibrant red clothes in tribute to the teenager, as requested by her family.

During the hour-long service, Regane's dad Alastair paid an emotional tribute to his daughter.

A large frame with a montage of pictures of the teenager was also displayed throughout.

Afterwards crowds poured out of the church, lining the street as Regane's white coffin was carried by male family members to a waiting hearse adorned with red and white wreaths.

The sun cut through what had been blizzard conditions moments before as Regane's coffin was slowly carried from the church, followed by her close family.

Poignant arrangements in white and red flowers spelling out "Regane", "Sister" and "Niece" were laid out inside the hearse.

Overcome with emotion, mourners embraced as Regane's coffin was slowly lifted into the hearse and topped with an arrangement of white flowers.

The funeral cortege - the hearse followed by three black Mercedes cars - then left to travel to North Dalnottar Cemetery, in Clydebank, Regane's final resting place.