THE ashes of the murdered daughter of an Isle of Wight man were being buried today, more than four years after her dismembered body was found in a remote cave in Japan.

Lucie Blackman's father Tim said a service was being held for his daughter at St Peter and St Paul Church, in Seal, Sevenoaks, Kent.

Mr Blackman, 51, Lucie's mother Jane Steare, 51, her 22-year-old brother Rupert, and sister Sophie, 24, were among the mourners.

The 21-year-old former flight attendant was working at a nightclub in the Roppongi district of Tokyo when she vanished in July 2000.

Her dismembered body was found in a cave in Miura, a remote and secluded fishing village outside Tokyo, in February 2001, following a seven-month search.

Joji Obara, 52, is on trial in Japan accused of a number of attacks on women. He is also charged with the abduction of Lucie as well as rape resulting in death, and the disposal of her body.

He denies any involvement in the killing.

Obara's four-storey apartment block, where he is alleged to have chopped up Lucie's body and encased her head in concrete, is about 100 metres from the cave where her body was found.

Rose bushes have been planted by the cave and visitors leave notes and money as a tribute to Lucie.

Mr Blackman said the family would have a tablet made for the cave as a lasting reminder of his daughter at the end of the trial.

Mr Blackman, who separated from Lucie's mother a few years before the tragedy, added: "The trial has kept the whole issue of Lucie's death as an ongoing event and none of us really felt ready for her burial.

"A lot of time has gone past and we need to do it.'' Ms Blackman's body was brought back to the UK in February 2001 and the cremation and church service was held at the end of March 2001.

Mr Blackman, from the Isle of Wight, said: ''It's another hurdle to jump over in the process of trying to get to the end of this disaster. ''We feel that she will be finally laid to rest. Hopefully this will be in the same year that the trial of the accused comes to an end.'' He added: ''The vicar of the local church is going to do a blessing as the burial takes place. ''A rather stark contrast with Lucie's funeral in 2001. There were hundreds of people there.''