A MEMORIAL service to a designer who died after an horrific snowboarding accident in the French Alps will be held in her home village.

Emily Watts, known as Mimi, fell into a snowdrift and was stuck for about 45 minutes after the incident in Chamonix almost two weeks ago.

It is believed that by the time emergency crews arrived, the 26-year-old, from Bury Road, Lavenham, had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Her parents, Nicky McAllister and Dominic Watts, along with her 27-year-old brother Rory, flew to her hospital bedside but she died on Thursday, December 13 after being on a life support machine.

The former student of St Benedict’s Catholic School in Bury St Edmunds, who went on to study at Northbrook College in Sussex, had only been at the resort for two weeks in preparation for the new season.

Speaking yesterday, Ms McAllister said following a private cremation, a memorial service will be held at 2.30pm in Lavenham church on December 29 and asked those who knew her to wear “colourful clothing”.

The family, who described Miss Watts as “a loving daughter, sister and friend”, have set up a charity in her name with the aim of nurturing creative talent by helping young people find funding and advice to start up their own businesses.

Ms McAllister asked that anyone attending the service would donate to goodstory.org.uk via their Bacs or PayPal account, instead of bringing flowers.

An inquest into Miss Watts’s death was due to be opened yesterday.