Daniel Leggett's zest for life will be remembered by family and friends as they wear his favourite colour, red, at the youngster's funeral.

His spirit and optismism will be symbolised on the order of service by a smiling sunshine drawn by Daniel himself.

The seven-year-old died on Saturday at his home in The Paddock, Longworth, near Abingdon, after sparking a world-wide hunt for a suitable bone marrow donor.

Daniel, a pupil of Greycotes School, Oxford, had suffered from the rare condition called aplastic anaemia which stopped his blood from working. No suitable donor was ever found as Daniel's tissue-type had been particularly rare.

The youngster's plight inspired more than 100 Oxford Mail readers to register as donors with the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, while more than £10,000 was raised for the charity in his name.

His Mum, Melanie, 44, said: "He had a big heart and he filled so many hearts. He's been loved so much by so many people."

Daniel was fanatical about musical theatre. and he had already begun dreaming up the plot of his own show.

A few weeks before his death a dream came true when a charity called the Make-a-Wish Foundation whisked him out of hospital for a trip to the show Dr Dolittle, when he met the stars Phillip Schofield and Julie Andrews. His dad, Nick, 39, added: "He never took life for granted. He lived every day to the full." Even during Daniel's final days he continued to battle on and had drawn up his picnic-list for a planned day out with his Beaver group on Sunday.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The really Useful Group has made the unusual step of allowing the family to play One More Angel in Heaven from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at his funeral at St John the Baptist Church, Kingston Bagpuize, on Thursday.

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