THE parents of a York teenager who was struck down by a rare form of cancer said today his death was "a bolt from the blue".

Steve and Ruth Hurd, of Grange Lane, Acomb, are mourning their "bright, intelligent and incredible boy", with their 17-year-old daughter, Becky.

James, 14, died earlier this week after losing a six-week battle with the disease.

Mrs Hurd, 46, who works as a teacher at Huntington School, said: "This has left us dazed. There's going to be a huge hole in our lives.

"For 14 years we had the incredible joy of having this young boy in our lives.

"It's been a privilege knowing him, and many others have been touched by his life."

James, a pupil at Huntington School, fell ill with headaches, lethargy and nausea during a family holiday to Scotland.

He was diagnosed with an extremely rare type of cancer which was said by doctors to be aggressive and malignant.

Although a golf ball-sized tumour was removed from his brain during an operation at Leeds General Infirmary, the couple were told his future was bleak.

Two further operations and urgent cancer therapies failed to halt the spread of the disease, and James's condition declined until his death on Wednesday.

Mr Hurd said: "In the last few weeks, we could almost see the deterioration, this thing eating away at him, taking his life away. It is a horrible, horrible thing, cancer."

Year 9 pupil James was a keen sportsman and musician who loved football, as well as a regular churchgoer.

Mr Hurd, 46, a joint pastor with York City Church, said: "It's not just what we believe happens when you die but that's what James trusted in as well. That is a great source of peace and comfort for us."

A public service of thanksgiving for James's life will be held at St Michael-le-Belfrey Church, York, at 4pm on Friday.

Updated: 13:12 Saturday, May 25, 2002