Karen Aim -- Communities mourn together

She was, quite simply, "one in a million".

Yesterday, Karen Aim's death stopped two communities on opposite ends of the Earth as her closest friends and family and strangers joined together to remember the young Scottish tourist who was killed in the place she loved.

For the past 12 days the focus has been on investigating Miss Aim's death, but for a brief moment the spotlight was on the woman she was.

More than a dozen police, including those investigating the case, were among the 1000 people who turned up to a memorial service for Miss Aim, held at Taupo's St Paul's Union Church.

The service was held to coincide with Miss Aim's funeral in the Orkney Islands in Scotland's far north where another community stood still, grieving their loss.

Hand-written poems and tributes were mixed with traditional hymns and songs from Queen were all thrown into the mix to remember the unique young woman.

Miss Aim's great aunt, Violet Perfect, spoke of the popular girl, buzzing with life, and described Miss Aim's personality as a magnet which simply drew people in.

"If [Miss Aim] was here she would have said 'I'm so excited, I would never have believed there would be so many folk here'."

Others who spoke at the service were Miss Aim's flatmates - Lisa Hughes and Collette Martin.

Miss Hughes described her flatmate as the kind of girl "you met and fell in love with".

"She was a Kiwi at heart with a Scottish soul."

Fellow flatmate Miss Martin said she felt like Miss Aim had simply left for another adventure.

"Maybe it hasn't hit me."

Reverend John Howell, who led the Taupo service, said there would be a time to question why such a horrific act happened to Miss Aim, but yesterday's service was not the place.

He did however, speak of the need for people to face Miss Aim's death with courage.

"The grieving Aim family has every right to feel angry and bitter at the loss of their vibrant daughter ... but they ask for forgiveness for the person or persons who brought them this pain, and for the family of the person or persons who have committed this crime."

Miss Aim's employer, Lava Glass owner Christine Robb, recalled her "gorgeous Scottish accent" and said her job at the gallery was the "perfect job" for her at this time.

"In the briefest of moments some people can make a lasting impression and [Miss Aim] was one of them."

In Orkney, Ms Aim's parents Brian and Peggy, and her brother Alan, were joined by 300 mourners for her funeral at East Mainland Church.

The congregation heard that she had fallen in love with Taupo.

The Rev Miriam Gross said: "Let us remember Karen, her beautiful and cheerful personality, her beautiful smile. This lovely lady who put a ray of sunshine into every room she came into. Let us keep these memories like buried treasure in our hearts," the Telegraph reported.

"We will all remember her as a very special person who was blessed by God and who was a blessing for others because of her bright and cheery personality."