A 27-YEAR-OLD who ‘lit the room up wherever he went’ has lost his five year battle with cancer.

Family and friends of Josh Riley said he was a ‘true inspiration’ thanks to his positive attitude after he was diagnosed with the disease.

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He even earned the nickname ‘smiley, smiley, Josh Riley’ from the nurses who looked after him, and encouraged other hospital patients to keep their spirits up during treatment.

Mr Riley, who lived with his fiancee and school sweetheart Laura Aspin in Westwell Street, Darwen, was an avid Blackburn Rovers fan.

He played for the Rovers academy as well as having spells with AFC Darwen and Ossy Villa.

Along with football, he was a lover of all sports, particularly golf as a member of Pleasington Golf Club.

The former St Bede’s RC High School student also leaves his mum and dad Karen and Mark Riley, sister Jordanna Brammer, nephews Jayden and ‘baby’ Josh and grandparents Ann and Barry.

Mrs Riley said she deeply admired her son’s confidence and the way he faced his condition head-on.

She said: “He loved his life and packed everything into it that he could. He was known to nurses at the hospital as ‘smiley, smiley, Josh Riley’. He never once felt sorry for himself, he just got on with it and smiled and always seemed happy.

“He was so strong minded and his faith was very important to him. He had a tattoo on his arm that said ‘faith can move mountains’.”

His family said Mr Riley, who suffered from nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lung metastasis, had a large circle of friends and got on well with everyone.

One of his closes friends was Oliver Piotrowski, 26, who said Mr Riley was always there for him.

He said: “Josh had so many friends. He was really well known and would get on with anyone, from the poshest person at Oxford to someone on the street.

“He really adored his family as well. He was mummy’s little soldier and could do no wrong.

“Laura was his absolute rock, she was so incredibly important to him and he worshipped the ground she walked on.

“She cared for him and looked after him so much.

“He used to love going round to his grandma’s and grandad’s and he and his sister were like best mates.

“He was so inspirational in his battle and everyone used to look up to him. In the hospital he would go round each patient and tell them to eat and keep their spirits up. He just didn’t act like a cancer patient.

“If I rang him in the middle of the night he would be there in a flash. He was the life and soul of any party.”

Mr Piotrowski said one of his favourite memories was when they went to see boxer Carl Froch fight George Groves and they met Johnny Vegas.

He said: “We saw him in a bar and Josh just started talking to him. He was like that, he was so sociable.”

In keeping with his positive and lively attitude, his family said he wanted an extravagant send off and they plan to do just that for his funeral on Thursday.

Piotrowski said: “He wanted it to be the biggest party ever and for everyone to be suited and booted with a splash of colour.”

Mark Riley added: “He was a very outgoing and infectious person and lit the room up wherever he went. It’s his positive attitude that got him through his cancer is what the nurses used to say.

“We have made sure he is to go out in a blaze of glory with four black stallions pulling his carriage.”

The family said they wanted to thank to Dr Rao, Hannah Simpson, Matt Sixsmith and all the nurses and staff on the Young Oncology Unit at The Christie in Manchester.

They are raising money on a JustGiving page which you can find at www.justgiving.com/Liam-Murphy6?utm_id=5. The funeral will take place at Pleasington Priory from 1pm on Thursday and there will be a gathering at Mill Hill Working Men’s Club afterwards.