HE was a boy with a "cheeky smile" who had an "instant impact on everyone he met" - and yesterday mourners gathered to honour his young life tragically cut short by cancer.

Brave young Louis Connell, from Newland Park Drive, York, died on Saturday after a five-year battle with the disease.

Yesterday, his funeral was held in Heslington Church, in a service

conducted by the Rev Nancy Eckersley, and a huge crowd of mourners gathered to pay tribute to the lad with an "infectious personality".

"He had an instant impact on everyone he met," his cousin, Paul Flint, told the full church.

"Louis had an infectious personality. When he walked into a room you knew about it. He had a cheeky smile."

Louis was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was just three.

He endured years of painful, frightening treatment, including cranial radiation.

In 2004, he went through a bone marrow transplant for which his younger brother, Joseph, then just 20 months, was the donor.

A few weeks later he was named by Cancer Research UK in its Christmas Little Star Appeal.

Last year, his extreme courage in coping with his illness was recognised by our Community Pride awards, where he was one of three brave York

youngsters to be named Child Of The Year.

Mr Flint paid tribute to a child who showed maturity well beyond his years.

"Even at such a young age he just got on with things," he said. "To Louis, cranial radiation meant a cool mask.

"Most children might feel shy or embarrassed to be in a wheelchair - not Louis. Instead, he saw it as a perfect opportunity to become Andy from Little Britain."

Sheena Powley, head of Lord Deramore's Primary School, in Heslington, where Louis was a pupil, remembered a boy who "loved rough and tumble".

She said: "Louis was a real lad, in the truest Yorkshire sense of the word... he loved rough and tumble, he loved football, and he also liked making things.

"As a very little boy in early years, Louis wrote his name on our early years' door with a permanent marker pen.

"That mark remains with us for ever, as he will remain in our hearts."

After yesterday's church service, mourners released a host of red and white balloons inscribed with Louis' name into the air - a final tribute to the boy who loved to play with them.

Mr Flint said: "He was an absolutely amazing boy. No amount of words you could ever say or hear could ever do such a fantastic person justice.

"Goodbye Louis. Sleep peacefully.

"We will never, ever, ever forget you."

The Press attended Louis's funeral at the invitation of his family.

Updated: 09:07 Saturday, April 29, 2006