Family and friends farewell Kirsty Boden, the ‘Angel of London Bridge’

Terror victim Kirsty Boden has been remembered as someone who was always smiling and “just the person you wanted to be around” at a service in the South Australian Riverland town of Loxton.

Ms Boden’s parents Christina and Ken Boden, brother Chris and partner James Hodder joined more than 400 mourners at the Loxton Swimming Pool for a service to say goodbye to the “Angel of London Bridge” on Monday.

Her father Ken led the tributes detailing her early life and travels after leaving school.

He said his daughter had a “gentle way of pushing you out of your comfort zone”.

“She loved her life, she loved her James and she loved her stray cat,” he said. “Kirsty, we will love you forever.”

Her former swimming coach Terry Millar said everyone loved and respected Kirsty.

“Always smiling, fun loving, just the type of person you wanted to be around,“ he said. “If there was a perfect kid, she was it.”

Floral tributes to Ms Boden were placed alongside the pool where she was a regular in her youth, as a talented swimmer who went on to set records when she moved to Adelaide to complete her schooling.

Her white coffin was placed alongside the pool.

Ms Boden was hailed a hero, and dubbed by British media the “Angel of London Bridge”, for running to help victims of the stabbing and van attack earlier this month, only to be fatally stabbed herself.

“As she ran towards danger, in an effort to help people on the bridge, Kirsty sadly lost her life,” her family said at the time.

“We are so proud of Kirsty’s brave actions which demonstrate how selfless, caring and heroic she was, not only on that night, but throughout all of her life.

An online fundraiser set up by Mr Hodder has raised $32,409 in donations from around the world, which is to be donated to charities reflecting Ms Boden’s interests.

On the fundraiser page he said “Kirsty would be smiling” as he thanked people for their generosity.

“Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life,” the page says.

“Kirsty, we love you and we will miss you.”