user: The eight children who were killed in the alleged Cairns stabbing massacre have been remembered  in a public funeral service attended by more than 5000 members of the local community. Eight white caskets were laid out in a row in the Cairns Convention Centre, each topped with red roses - the smallest a little over a metre long. Nearly 1000 family members of the fours boys and four girls, aged two to 14, attended the Christian service in remembrance of the children who were found dead in their Manoora home. Scroll down for video. The funeral for the eight children killed in the alleged Cairns stabbing massacre will be held on Saturday. The last to arrive were Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, Queensland Premier Campbell Newman and local Cairns MP Gavin King. Mr Abbott laid a wreath of red flowers at the front of the stage and stood for a minute of silence, followed by Mr Newman and his wife. Many of the mourners wore red, out of respect to the family members at the service. Mourners sang 'Amazing Grace' as students from the four schools the children attended laid flowers and candles at the front of the stage. In the front row, nine women wailed, supporting each other and unable to stand as young children in the audience cried and held their parents' hands. The service leader introduced the children's 'favourite song', and announced it had been sung 'over and over again' in the months leading up to their death. The service was followed by a large procession of around 50 vehicles, including the eight hearses. The procession ended at Martyn Street cemetery, with a guard of honour formed by South Sea Island descendants during the graveside ceremony. The procession made its way through the city under police escort. A slideshow was played showing photos of the children, and eulogies spoke of children that had loved song and dance, playing outside together, and time with their family. One of the four pastors leading the service labelled the incident a crime, and said that there had been 'cries and no one had heard'. 'I'm sure there was a standing ovation when they were greeted in heaven. We put eight babies to rest today,' the pastor said. 'They go before us and they shouldn't be going before us,' he said. Outside the auditorium, a simple cultural tribute was made, with eight apples strung with rope and frangipani flowers, while inside floral tributes were laid. The Islander term 'Keriba Omasker' has been attached to the memorial, a phrase which means 'our children' in the Erub dialect of the children. The service was followed by a large procession of around 50 vehicles, including the eight hearses, which made its way through the city under police escort. Friends and family members filed into the Cairns Convention Centre for the funeral of the eight children. The service was a 'Keriba Omasker' memorial, a term which means 'our children' Thousands of people from the far north Queensland community have filed into the Cairns Convention Centre. 36 pallbearers represented the affected families, carrying the children during their final journey- a route which passed by the end of  Murray Street, so that any families who were unable to attend were able to pay their respects. The procession ended at  Martyn Street cemetery, with a guard of honour formed by South Sea Island descendants during the graveside ceremony. The eight children were buried in an arch formation, instead of side by side, to represent a sunrise. White sand was placed at the top of each of the graves, which were each topped with a white cross and a plaque with the children's name, age and a symbol of a sunrise. The inspiration came from a photo that was taken by Gavin Willie, the father of the four youngest children, the day after they were killed. A guitar played and a song in their native language was sung as the children were lowered into the ground. The eldest, Angelina Thaiday and her cousin Malili Warria on the outside, and the youngest six on the inside - 2 year old Patronella, known as 'baby girl', her tiny grave little more than a metre long. The father of the youngest children, Gavin Willie, knelt at the graves of each of his children with his hands lightly touching the sand, crying as loved ones putting their hands on his shoulders. The two surviving children of accused killer Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday stood at the foot of their siblings graves holding each other's hands. Lewis and Norena Warria wore black and red and cried silently as people took turns placing flowers, windmills, wreaths and teddy bears in the sand. The deceased children's grandmother wailed at a chair nearby, loved ones mopping at her head and fanning her in the heat. The service was expected to run for two hours before a procession travels through the city centre. The procession will end at Martyn Street cemetery, and a guard of honour will be formed by South Sea Island descendants during the graveside ceremony. An aunt of the deceased children said that the children's grandfather, who had been acting as a spokesperson for the family, was 'numb'. 'He's so overwhelmed, he hasn't said a word. He doesn't know what to do, none of us do,' she said. Most of the mourners were dressed in red, although many wore floral shirts, school shirts or rugby jerseys to pay tribute to the 'bright, playful' children. Paramedics were on hand as 20 people were treated for heat exhaustion in the stifling Cairns heat. A young girl, a friend of three of the children, collapsed at the burial, with water poured over her head as she lay on the pavement. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Saturday that his appearance at the funeral was out of solidarity with the people of Cairns and those affected by the violence. 'It's just a horrible business,' Mr Abbott said on Saturday. 'We know that sometimes people break. We also know there are difficult circumstances people deal with,' he said. 'This is a social issue as well as a law enforcement issue, but I'll be there in solidarity with them.' A collection of flowers, cards, and soft toys remain in memorial to the children in a park next to their Murray Street home. On the day of the funeral, tributes laid at a temporary memorial shrine matched the flowers at the funeral. The children were found dead in their home on Murray Street on December 19, sparking widespread scenes of grief and shock from the close-knit community. Raina Mersane Ina Thaiday, mother of seven of the deceased children, has been formally charged with eight counts of murder over the act. She is due to face court later in the month. The pentecostal service involved elements of Torres Strait Islander culture and has been described by family members as one that will depict the personalities of the children. Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said that the community had handled the cultural protocols well, as the families at the centre of the tragedy grappled with laying their loved ones to rest. Relatives of the children said that the funeral would another step in the grieving process, and appealed for sensitivity during the period of mourning. 'The community has certainly felt very strongly for these people,' Mr Manning said. 'I think there's been a wonderful outpouring of support by the wider community to the families that have been affected and indeed the Torres Strait Island community.' 'I believe that will then be another outpouring of grief,' Mr Manning said. 'It's always very hard to go to funerals and ... so what really will count then is how we support the people in the period after the funeral (on Saturday).' The wider Cairns community has also pulled together, deputy mayor Terry James says. 'We’re talking about children, and you think if it was your own children, and it just brings a tear to your eye,' Mr James said. Family members gathered to mourn outside the Murray Street house where the children were found dead. Residents say that they are more likely to report disturbances rather than ignore them in light of the tragedy. Tributes were laid outside the Murray Street house where the children were killed in the days after their deaths. 'Really we’ve got to repair the community after such a sad event.' A collection of flowers, cards, and soft toys remain in memorial to the children in a park next to their Murray Street home, as residents say that they are more likely to report disturbances rather than ignore them in light of the tragedy. The Cairns house in which the children were killed will be demolished and replaced with a permanent memorial. Member of Parliament Gavin King said the fate of the public housing home at 34 Murray Street, Manoora was decided upon by family representatives, locals, pastors and elders from the Torres Strait Island community. 'It's the right thing to do going forward to help with the grieving process,' Mr King said. The house where the children were found dead remains barricaded. Cairns Mayor Bob Manning said that the community had handled the cultural protocols well, as the families at the centre of the tragedy grappled with laying their loved ones to rest. Police attended the scene of the stabbing which shocked the wider Cairns community. Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to attend the service, and has said that his appearance will be out of solidarity with the people of Cairns and those affected by the violence.
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assistant: Around 5000 members of the community attended the public service. The memorial was called 'Keriba Omasker', meaning 'our children' Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Queensland Premier attended the service. Eight white caskets were laid out in a row at the Cairns Convention Centre. A pastor said there was a 'standing ovation in Heaven' for the children. The funeral procession passed Murray Street where they died. The children were buried in the shape of a sunrise. Many of the mourners wore red to represent the 'playful' children.