Family and friends gathered on Tuesday for the funeral of Silsden schoolboy Andrew Pratt, who died on Good Friday.

The 12-year-old, of Middle Way, had the muscle wasting-disease muscular dystrophy. He suffered a heart attack as doctors at Leeds General Infirmary prepared him for surgery.

Wheelchair-bound Andrew had entered hospital the week before with a chest infection and a collapsed lung.

"He had had an operation to clean his lung and he was in good spirits," his dad Gordon told the Keighley News. "Surgeons were preparing him for a tracheotomy when he had the heart attack."

Andrew had also undergone surgery to his spine recently.

Gordon, his wife Pamela and Andrew's sister Andrea paid tribute to the Grange Middle School pupil who had a 'wicked' sense of humour.

"He never let his illness get him down," says Pamela. "If the weather was right he would take himself off to town and he would talk to everybody."

Andrew had a big interest in transport. He had a large collection of model trains, cars and buses and was a member of the Eddie Stobart transport club. He regularly visited the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and loved Formula 1 motor racing.

The family also had a dog, 'Patch', which Andrew regarded as his own.

The former Aire View Infants and Hothfield Street Junior schools pupil had met tv presenter Matthew Kelly, former model Linda Lusardi and snoo-ker champion Stephen Hendry.

Andrew regularly featured in the Keighley News. In 1996 he collected thousands of Christmas and birthday cards, envelopes and white paper for the Blue Peter children's television programme appeal to buy electric wheelchairs for children. And in March last year Keighley charities rallied round to help buy a 'people carrier' with a ramp so Andrew could enjoy days out with his family.

A special service was held on Monday at Grange Middle School on what head-teacher Sylvia Mitchell describes as 'a very sad day for the school'.

Andrew was a prefect, a position he regarded as his 'job'. "One of the most pleasing things was the way Andrew had developed in a mainstream school," says Mrs Mitchell. "He was one of the 'boys' and had turned into a fine young man."

Mrs Mitchell says Andrew had joined in everything. She remembers one particular time when she was taking some photographs for a school brochure. "We all laughed because he was in every picture I had taken," she says.

"He could get round the school so quickly in his wheelchair. He will be terribly missed by children and staff."

A funeral service was held on Tuesday at St Andrew's Church, Kildwick, before cremation at Oakworth.

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