The boyfriend of a young woman who died trying to rescue him from a block of flats on the Isle of Dogs told of his lasting love for her at her funeral.

Sophie Rosser, 23, was returning from a birthday to the flat she shared with Oscar Silva, when she saw flames coming from Meridian Place on Marsh Wall.

In a letter to Sophie read out at her funeral in Wales on Friday, Oscar told how the pair fell in love almost instantly and how he thought he had won the “lotto” after meeting her.

On the night she died, August 26, Sophie had phoned Oscar, 28, to warn him to get out of their fifth-floor flat. It is believed she then rushed into the building in an attempt to warn others of the danger.

Oscar and the couple’s flatmate were rescued by firefighters but Sophie died after being overwhelmed by smoke and collapsing on the fourth floor.

Sophie’s humanist funeral saw hundreds of friends and family say their farewells at Thornhill Crematorium in Cardiff.

Oscar’s letter was read out by Jean Francis, of the British Humanist Association, leading the service.

In his letter, Oscar, an architect, told how he fell in love with Sophie, who studied architecture, after meeting in a bar near Tower Bridge.

He said: “I could not have thought such a beautiful girl with bright sparkles in her eyes would even speak to me. I thought I had won the lotto.

“Since our first date we could not keep away from each other, it seemed we had known each other for years after the first week.”

Oscar also spoke of how much Sophie, who was about to start a course in interior design had loved living, decorating and entertaining at their flat.

“I still find it difficult to accept you are not here physically. I guess it is because you are an angel who stole my heart and kept it. You are my inspiration and shining star forever.”

Sophie loved animals and a webpage has been set up to raise money for the RSPCA in her memory: www.justgiving.com/annie-rosser/eurl.axd/0e89609f9c11ca479a658f17d9683775