Regional journalist Sharon Edwards was the envy of millions as she took her seat at Westminster Abbey for the funeral of the Queen Mother.

Her prized ticket arrived at the Lincolnshire Echo courtesy of the Newspaper Society, giving the paper chance to expand on its ongoing coverage of the royal death.

Sharon (left) was one a handful of regional journalists to witness the event first-hand and took her place with other reporters within view of the royal family at Westminster Abbey.

Picture editor Stuart Wilde was also in London, on a rota pass, and the pair filed several stories and photographs on Monday, chatting to people already waiting for the funeral, getting stories with local relevance and picking up on the atmosphere.

On Tuesday, the day of the funeral, Stuart took his place outside Buckingham Palace and Sharon made her way to the Abbey.

But it was no ordinary job: Sharon experienced the event on several levels.

She said: "Half of me was observing it objectively as a journalist and trying to measure the mood and get the facts and the tone right, thinking of possible lines and intros.

"The other half of me was involved with the service.

"I could see the coffin from where I was sitting, and the backs of the heads of the royal family, and it felt very strange to be there.

"I went firmly believing that the Queen Mother had done her country a good service, and having a strong Christian faith myself meant the words of the service meant a lot to me. I sang all the hymns, said all the prayers and sang the national anthem. The music and the choir were amazing.

"I didn't approach it at all cynically and I got something out of it from a personal point of view as well as doing the job for the Echo. And my personal feelings came out to a certain degree in a colour piece I filed."

Afterwards, after all the copy had been filed and pictures sent off to meet the final edition deadline, there was time for reflection on what will be remembered as one of the biggest days of ceremony the capital has seen.

Sharon said: "After all the work has been done you find yourself asking 'Did it really happen? Was I really there?'

"It's something I am delighted to have done and will never forget."