Hundreds listened in silence as the sister of a seven-year-old struck down by a brain tumour gave a moving tribute to her brother.

Family, friends and residents from the Canterbury estate filed into St Oswald's Church, in Smiddles Lane, to pay their respects to brave Trevor Holdsworth who died last week after a long illness at St James' Hospital in Leeds.

Trevor had suffered from hydrocephalus (water on the brain), epilepsy, and two brain tumours - the second being discovered while on holiday at Butlin's last May.

His sister Tammy, 14, who lived with Trevor and sister Gail, 11, with grandparents Billy and Christina Smith, said her brother had always been full of life.

After thanking nurses, staff at Trevor's school and friends on the Canterbury estate, she paid tribute to her grandparents who had looked after the children since their mother's death five years ago.

"I want to thank my Gran and Granddad for the love they have shown us since they took us on," she said. "I know it can't have been easy."

Reverend Steve Allen said Trevor had been a brave little boy, full of fun, whose life had been cut tragically short.

He said: "It's thankfully rare these days that someone so young has to deal with such trauma. "He overcame many obstacles helped by his loving family.

"He never complained throughout his illnesses, he was a cheerful lad who was popular with other boys in his street.

"Trevor loved football and was a keen supporter of Leeds United. And he also liked the Spice Girls who he called the 'Spicicle Girls'.''

After hearing Trevor's favourite song Round and Round Again, by Ken Dodd, and the songs When You Tell Me That You Love Me and The Greatest Love of All, the service moved on to Scholemoor Cemetery.

The funeral cortege was led by two hearses, one full of flowers, the other carrying Trevor's coffin and a floral tribute bearing the name "Trev" in Leeds Utd's colours. He was buried with his mother Tina, who died aged 26 from breast cancer when Trevor was two-years-old.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.