The death of Diana, Princess of Wales, on August 31 last year, touched almost everyone - but as people throughout the world commemorate the tragedy, two Bradford families tell Jan Winter how as the nation mourned, their own lives were thrown into turmoil.

ONE YEAR AGO, on the day of Diana's death, doctors at a Leeds hospital turned off the life support machine which had been keeping eight-year-old Aaron Bennett alive.

Parents Angela and Andrew had been told the day before that he was brain dead, only two days after he collapsed suddenly with what turned out to be a brain haemorrhage.

Although he rallied briefly in hospital - enough to recognise his parents and give them some precious memories - he never recovered.

Angela talks openly of their bereavement and how they are planning to cope with the anniversary of Aaron's death.

"I keep trying to play it down but I think when it comes, it's going to hit me like a brick wall. Throughout July I felt a lot stronger but now it's August, we keep reliving things."

At the end of term last month at the school where Angela works she was saying goodbye to all the pupils, with everyone wishing each other a good holiday. And Angela thought of the same time last year when, unknown to the family at the time, they were about to see Aaron's last six weeks of life.

This month they have returned to holiday at the caravan park Aaron loved, and where he spent his last holiday at the same time last year. "It's facing up to it that helps the healing process. There are painful things that happen every single day, every day which are a reminder," says Angela.

On the day before the anniversary, the Sunday, they will have a ceremony at Wilsden churchyard, an occasion Angela describes as a "get-together" for family, friends, anyone who would like to attend.

If a special gravestone is complete in time, they will bury Aaron's ashes there.

"On the anniversary itself we will want to be by ourselves, quietly, because I think it will be a hard day to get through," Angela says.

She does not see herself, Andrew and daughter Arlene as especially brave, and understands the feelings of bereaved people who can never return to places which have memories for them.

The fact that Aaron's organs were donated to help a number of others, including children, has helped Angela, and she has spoken out not only to help people deal with bereaved friends and neighbours, but also to encourage organ donation.

'We were so preoccupied, the tragedy passed us by'

At the end of a day in the labour ward, Claire Firth was looking for a TV programme to take her mind off the contractions which meant the birth of her baby was imminent.

But every channel was showing the Queen's address to the nation, the evening before the biggest funeral the country has ever seen.

The week after Princess Diana's death had less impact on Claire and her partner, Ian Connor - pictured left with baby Declan - because they were so preoccupied with the late stages of her pregnancy.

And Declan finally made his appearance - two weeks late - at 4.30 am on September 6, only hours before the start of Diana's funeral.

Ian remembers: "We were so preoccupied that week, it bypassed us a bit. It didn't catch on for us until after he was born. We were very happy, both families were overjoyed, it was a sad time for everybody else."

Claire, who is 17, had been induced because Declan was so late, and her labour lasted almost 24 hours. On the day he was born, she was so busy with caring for him and coming to terms with the birth of her baby that she barely saw the funeral.

Says Ian, a 28-year-old postman: "For me on the day of the funeral, I got home at 6am and went to bed! I missed all the funeral. I got up and saw on TV the hearse being taken to the burial place. After that I was getting flowers, visiting relatives, visiting Claire in hospital and seeing Declan. Then I went out for a drink that night!"

The couple, who live at Baildon, have had a wonderful year with their new son. Ian says: "We've never had any responsibility and suddenly you are responsible for this little one. It's the best feeling in the world - it's a miracle."

They are planning to go out for a family meal to celebrate Declan's first birthday, something they vowed to do each year after they dined out soon after his birth.

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