AN EARTHQUAKE victim from Liverpool was remembered at a funeral service in New Zealand.

Teacher Gillian Sayers, 43, was killed when the CTV building in Christchurch crumpled under the force of the 6.3-magnitude quake on February 22.

Her funeral was held earlier today in North Canterbury.

Born in Merseyside, friends said the popular animal rights advocate was a proud Scouser with family still living in Liverpool.

Ms Sayers, who studied linguistics and philosophy at Canterbury University, moved to New Zealand in 1974 where her sister, Dr Joanne Macgregor, also lives.

The building she taught in was the scene of some of the worse destruction as the tremors tore apart walls and windows leaving Ms Sayers and eight other staff and 60 pupils dead.

Ms Sayers’ ex-partner Nik Warrensson paid tribute to the popular teacher and said she would have made sure others were safe before looking to her own safety when the quake hit.

In a statement he said: “Gillian is the loveliest, sweetest, kindest thing. She'd worked [at the school] for several years, she just liked helping people. She put them before herself.”

An animal lover devoted to her pets Ms Sayers was a passionate animal rights activist who didn't believe people needed to eat meat.