HUNDREDS of people flocked to Burnham-on-Crouch to pay their respects at a moving and uplifting tribute to "inspirational" Laughlin Whiteley.
More than £2,000 was raised for charity in his name as friends, family and supporters laid down thousands of sunflowers at a memorial service to the seven-year-old, from Mildmay Road, Burnham, who was killed by a lung infection on October 12 after beating cancer twice.
Laughlin, or Lockey as he was known, survived a brain tumour and leukaemia, and his family had raised more than £10,000 for cancer charity Brain Tumour UK in just two years, plus another £2,000 for Delete Blood Cancer UK in the past year, all from donations to their Unlock A Life For Lockey appeal.
He died just three weeks after receiving the award for most inspirational child of the year from Prince Harry, on behalf of sick children charity WellChild, for his courageous battle against the disease, which he had just discovered had returned.
The celebration of Lockey's life, held at Millfields, heard readings from a local vicar before sunflowers were laid at the seafront, which spelt out his name.
The fire service was represented with sunflowers on the front of their truck, while the Willie Nelson song You Are My Sunshine was sung by all present.
Family friend Michelle Richardson, who was part of the Unlock A Life For Lockey charity, read a poem and thanked everyone who attended the event.
She said to the crowd: "On behalf of Lockey and his family I would like to say a huge thank you for what you have done today.
"I am sure you will all agree that Lockey was a caring and inspirational little boy that always managed to give a smile to anyone."
There was then a two minute silence before those present carried sunflowers and lights up to the seafront and laid them on the ground.
Laughlin's illness was charted by his father online after he was found to have a brain tumour, aged four.
In February, Lockey had a stem cell transplant for a rare leukaemia and was given the all-clear, but suffered a relapse of the blood cancer recently.
Lesley Hawkins, a family friend who organised the event, said: "When I heard the news last Saturday I thought something had to be done as I knew a lot of my friends wanted to pay their respects.
"Lockey was an absolutely inspirational young man and so was his family.
"The amount of support and help has been absolutely overwhelming, everyone has gone over and above.
"For everyone to come together as a community and just show solidity and our support for the family and pay our respects, I couldn't have asked for anything else – it has been amazing."
Laughlin's parents John and Andrea set up a charity earlier this year to distribute craft boxes to children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where their son was being treated.
The money raised on the night will be donated to Lockey's parents who will decide how to use it at a later date.
A farewell procession for Laughlin will take place on Saturday with a procession up Burnham-on-Crouch High Street from the Clocktower at 10.30am before a private funeral.
