Brave David dies aged seven

10:37pm Monday 17th March 2008

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By Nafeesa Shan »

A BRAVE seven-year-old boy who battled cancer for two-and-a-half years has died.

David Harry Ashton's devastated mother Sam and father Shaun paid tribute to their son, fondly remembering him as an 'extremely cheeky' boy who 'fought to the end'.

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And his headteacher at St Luke and St Phillip's Primary School, Hancock Street, Bank Top, Blackburn, said the death of such a 'kind, caring, sociable and fun loving' boy had left 'an empty space that can never be filled'.

Dave, as he was known, had been battling with Glioma, a type of primary central nervous system tumour that is commonly found in the brain, since August 2005.

He died on Thursday at Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley, just weeks after doctors told his parents he had months to live.

After undergoing gruelling radiotherpay, Dave appeared to be getting better.

But during a check up two weeks ago, doctors noticed he was unsteady on his feet and found the cancer had spread down his spine.

Sam, 38, of Hancock Street, said: "He would keep everybody on their toes. He was a one off.

"He was extremely cheeky even all the time he was in hospital, despite all the pain he just kept going.

"That's the way he was.

"He was a fighter. There aren't many that would fight like he did.

"Last Tuesday you couldn't shut him up. He was reminiscing and talking about everyone and everybody.

"He told everyone he loved them.

"It is devastating."

Sam said that he was diagnosed with cancer on the August Bank Holiday weekend in 2005 when they found him not breathing.

She said: "We rushed him to Queen's Park Hospital and they resucitated him.

"The doctors knew there was something wrong and they did a scan where it showed up.

"They first did a biopsy and it came back."

Six months later doctors noticed the tumour had grown.

Sam, a mother-of-four, said: "He had two lots of chemotherapy and they didn't work.

"Then he had radiotherapy at Christmas and it seemed like he was doing do well.

"He never looked better."

But then doctors dropped the bombshell that the cancer was terminal two weeks ago.

Dave's headteacher Pam Scott said he loved being in school.

She said: "Dave was kind, caring, sociable and fun loving who had a great sense of humour. He has left an empty space within the school that can never be filled.

"We have been left with such fond memories of Dave. For example the school trip to a farm when he got splattered with cow dung on a tractor ride and he was cross with Miss Adsett, his special support assistant, for not being able to stop laughing.

"He never lost his sense of humour even in his last day with us when he was struggling to walk he called himself a wobbly bob'.

"Dave will be missed very much by all his friends and teachers at St Luke and St Phillip's.

"He will always have a special place in our hearts."

Dave funeral takes place on Wednesday at 3.30pm at Pleasington Crematorium.

He leaves three older brothers Andrew Dunn, 20, dan Ashton, 11, and Jamie Ashton, eight.