THE father of an eight-year-old boy who lost his battle against leukaemia at Christmas has spoken of his son's bravery.

Daniel Turner, of Ridgeway, Darlington, died the day after Boxing Day after a four-year battle against the disease.

But the Springfield Primary School pupil never complained and remained a happy-go-lucky youngster to the end.

His father, Roger Lee Turner, 29, said Daniel had been struck down by leukaemia three times in four years.

He seemed to have beaten the disease after the original diagnosis in 1996 - but it returned with a vengeance on the day Daniel went to hospital hoping to get the all-clear.

In October 1999 he underwent a bone marrow transplant.

Mr Turner said: "That seemed to do the trick, then, in July last year, he went in for a routine blood test and it was diagnosed again."

At this point, doctors broke the crushing news that the brave youngster had a limited time to live.

"From the moment they told us he had six months to live, we kept him in the dark because we didn't want him to know a thing.

"It hit us like a ton weight - but we snapped out of it and got on with things."

Daniel, whose two-and-a-half-year-old brother, Luke, is missing him terribly, knew he was ill.

"But he never complained once and he never thought of himself, he always thought of other people," said Mr Turner.

In the past six months, friends and workmates rallied round to send Daniel on trips to Legoland, Alton Towers and to Old Trafford, home of his beloved Manchester United Football Club.

Mr Turner said: "We were told by the hospital they did not think he would see Christmas.

"But he was fine until the week before Christmas - he was restricted, but still enjoyed himself and it wasn't until Boxing Day when he became housebound and tired.

"It was better it worked that way, rather than him being housebound over a few months."

Daniel's popularity among family and friends was evident at his funeral last Friday when St Andrew's Church in Darlington was packed.

Mr Turner said: "I'd like to thank everybody who has been involved with the care of Daniel - they know who they are.