AN appeal to help pay for the funerals of a brother and sister killed in a car accident has raised more than £3,500 in just one week.

Friends and family of Jinny-Mae Cook, 18, and Bobby Roberts, 28, say they have been overwhelmed by the generosity shown by so many in the community.

SNJ readers alone donated more than £700 in cash with many more donating online.

The money will help pay for a joint funeral ceremony at St Matthew’s Church in Cainscross on Friday, which the family say will keep the pair ‘together forever’.

A statement released on behalf of the family said: “We would like to thank everyone for their outstanding kindness at this time, it is very much appreciated.”

Jinny’s coffin will be carried on a horse-drawn carriage while her brother will be taken to the church in a Mercedes.

“They were picked to reflect each of their personalities,” said their aunt Tina Werrett.

“The family will then travel in two cars behind the coffins.”

The procession will make its way along Cainscross Road from Philip Ford and Son funeral directors to the church, where the service will start at 1pm.

Afterwards, a celebration of their lives takes place at The Lamb in Eastcombe.

On Saturday night, current and former students and teachers at Archway School, where Jinny was a pupil, gathered in the grounds to remember their friend.

More than 100 people attended the memorial and some released balloons and lanterns.

The siblings’ mother, Julie Bloodworth, thanked the crowd and spoke of how much their support and kindness meant.

Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in to Jinny and Bobby, who lived in Brick Row, Stroud, with their mother.

Around £8,000 is needed to cover the funeral costs with any remaining funds being put towards a trust for Bobby’s three-year-old son Harley, which he will receive on his 18th birthday.

Donations can be made at http://bit.ly/1uLEsrd or dropped into the SNJ office in Lansdown, Stroud.

Around £2,700 had been raised so far.

Several fundraising events have already been organised.

Cornerstone Day Nursery, which Harley attends, is holding a fun day at the premises in Gloucester Road, Stonehouse, between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Sunday with all families invited to attend.

Meanwhile, ASDA employee Martin Knappman, 38, is running from Archway School to the store where he works in Quedgeley dressed as an elf.

He will leave at 10am on Tuesday.

Jinny and Bobby, described as ‘caring and loving people’, died in an accident on the Ebley bypass last Saturday, November 15.

Their VW Golf, which was heading towards the Dudbridge roundabout, was involved in a collision with a blue Vauxhall Vectra travelling in the opposite direction towards Stonehouse at 6.45pm.

Bobby, who was driving, and Jinny, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A male passenger in the Golf was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The male driver of the other vehicle involved, a Vauxhall Vectra, was also taken to GRH with injuries described as not life-changing.

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting incident 415 of November 15.