AN 11-year-old Chippenham boy who died from a brain tumour has been remembered by his former school after a new library was opened in his memory.

Leo Darby died on October 19, 2015, after a 10-month battle with the disease and was a pupil at Ivy Lane Primary School where the new facility was opened yesterday (Wednesday, February 8) by children’s laureate, Chris Riddell.

The youngster had wanted to become an author himself and had written several poems, one of which has been painted on a wall in the library and there is also a story-tellers chair with an inscription in memory of Leo.

“From the word go I was totally for it,” said Leo’s dad, Paul, who along with his wife, Ros, and other son, Oscar, were present for the unveiling.

“They have kept me very much up to date so there were no massive surprises to the content but the impact and the quality is so good.

“Leo was so into books, storytelling and performing.

“All the time he was ill, one thing he always wanted to do was get back to school.

“One weekend we nearly lost him on the Saturday but he rallied and on the Monday he was ready to go back to school.

“He would be beside himself with the library.”

Money for the library, which has cost almost £20,000, was raised through the school’s parent fund-raising group FOILS with money being donated in memory of Leo, as well as Chippenham Borough Lands who have supported the project.

The library, which was designed by teaching assistant and designer Charlie Graham-May, features a number of different zones, including a nature and underwater area, and children will be using the facility at least once a week and will be able to use it during break-time.

Headteacher Chris Cannings said: “We’re very pleased with it, we think it’s a very special place and the children are very excited to come in and use it.

“We wanted to make sure the children had a special place to enjoy books.

“We received some money in memory of Leo and I know it’s nice for the parents that his memory will last on at Ivy Lane.”