A NINE-year-old boy has died following an asthma attack after spending the day playing football with his twin brother.

A week ago Curtis Maker was taking part in his school sports day. Today his grief-stricken parents laid their son to rest.

The youngster, who attended St Mary's RC Primary School, Mayfield Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, with his twin brother Jake, died on Sunday at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

His parents, Drew Maker and Elaine Kelbie, were too distressed to talk about their son yesterday.

But headteacher Stephen Wells said Curtis had been out playing football with his brother all day on Saturday before he suffered the attack at his home in Countess Street, Accrington.

Paramedics called to the scene managed to revive the youngster but he suffered brain damage through lack of oxygen, said Mr Wells.

On Sunday his parents had to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support machine.

"Last Thursday he was in the school sports with his brother and classmates and today it's his funeral," said Mr Wells.

"I have still got his inhaler on my filing cabinet. It's a very sad thing to happen."

Curtis's class teacher Tracey Duckworth remembered him as a popular member of the class who always had a smile on his face.

"He had a good sense of humour, and even though he had the illness all his life, it never stopped him doing anything," she said.

Curtis was in school on Friday and should have been going on a trip to Camelot theme park, near Chorley, with his classmates on Monday.

"It was such a shock on Monday for all of us," said Mrs Duckworth.

"He was very artistic. He loved art lessons and you could see the concentration on his face when he was doing a piece of artwork.

"I think it will take a while to sink in with his classmates. They have been talking about him a lot.

"Jake really cared for Curtis. He was the one who would come and ask for his inhaler if he needed it. He was always there for him, always caring for him."

Teachers and pupils at the school dedicated their end of year Mass to Curtis on Tuesday.

Today they were set to join his family at his funeral service at St Mary's RC Church, Oswaldtwistle, followed by cremation at Accrington.