CHARLOTTE: THE family of Charlotte Wakeham have paid tribute to the youngster's selfless nature and bravery in the face of adversity.

The eight-year-old Trowbridge schoolgirl died on Saturday at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, nearly 15 months after she was first diagnosed with a brain tumour.

A special assembly was held in her memory on Monday at Paxcroft Primary School, Trowbridge, where Charlotte was a pupil.

Headteacher Sue Andrew said: "We are all very sad but we have to try to be positive.

"We tried to explain to the children that when someone dies you never lose them and I asked them to think of a memorial to remember Charlotte.

"The children have been kept informed of Charlotte's situation and she has some good friends here but if we are honest I do not think we expected her back this term."

Earlier this year Charlotte met Leanne Barnes, eight, who suffers from rare neurological disorder, Retts Syndrome.

Leanne, a pupil at Larkrise School, cannot talk and the disorder severely affects her hands, yet the two girls became firm friends.

Leanne's mother, Elaine, said: "There are no words to say how sad it is that Charlotte has gone and it is a terrible shock.

"In a way it is such a shame that it takes something like this to bring people together. We knew what we were going through with Leanne so could look to each other for support."

Shortly before Charlotte died her grandmother, Wendy Bryant, took her to the hospice where they planned to take her if they could no longer cope at home.

Mrs Barnes said: "Wendy called me to ask if Leanne and I would go with her to the nursing home and I was so pleased she picked up the phone and asked for our support.

"The girls had a unique friendship, a way of communicating that many of us will never understand that came out of the disabilities they shared.

"I will never forget the day Charlotte asked me very seriously whether there was anything she could do to help Leanne it touched me."

Ms Bryant broke the news of Charlotte's death to her brother Leigh, five. She said: "He is devastated he loved her so much but he keeps his parents going and understands that he will see her again one day.

"His sister was always very spiritually aware and very calm.

"We never told her how serious her illness was but she once told her parents she was worried they would miss her when she was gone, which is a big thing for such a young girl to say."

Ms Bryant launched the Charlotte's Chance of Life Fund when she was first diagnosed.

She said: "There were parts of her treatment, like when she was having her radiotherapy mask fitted, that would terrify an adult but she never once complained.

"She helped raise money herself and I can remember her helping me bake hundreds of cakes for some fundraiser we were doing. When I look back she crammed so much into the past year more things than many people do in a lifetime."

Funeral will celebrate life

THE people who helped raise money for Charlotte's cause have been invited to join her family in celebrating her life.

The family will have a private service but have invited members of the public to join them afterwards at her cremation at Semington at 2pm on Tuesday.

Charlotte's grandmother Wendy Bryant said: "Any one of the hundreds of friends we have made since Charlotte has been ill is very welcome.

"We have one stipulation that everyone should wear or bring something pink, since she was dotty about the colour."

After the service the public are welcome to join the family at the Melksham Labour club.

Family flowers only and donations to the Charlotte's Chance of Life Fund.