A DEVASTATED Kingswinford mum has paid a heartfelt tribute to her 12-year-old son who died of lymphoma just weeks after discovering he was suffering from the deadly disease.

Alison Banner has told of the agonising moment she had to switch off her son Daniel’s life support machine after being told by medics that they could do no more for him.

The youngster, a year eight pupil at The Kingswinford School, first began feeling unwell last December but Alison said it was assumed it was just a typical winter illness and she said: “He had a couple of days off school and went back and we thought nothing more of it.”

By the end of January he was off school again, however, with what she says GPs thought was a chest infection and on February 12 he was admitted to Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, as he was having difficulty breathing.

A few days later he was transferred to Stoke before a bed was found for him at Birmingham Children's Hospital where he underwent a lung bypass - then, after a series of scans, his parents Alison, aged 48, and Dave, aged 52, were told the crushing news that he had lymphoma.

The next few weeks were a roller coaster of emotions for the Banners, of Grantley Crescent, as Daniel's condition went through a series of ups and downs - but ultimately, after he failed to respond to treatment, they were forced to make the heart-wrenching decision to switch off his life support machine on Easter Sunday.

His heartbroken mum said: "Unfortunately they couldn't do anything else for him - we had to let him go."

Daniel's untimely death still came as a total shock to friends and relatives though and she said: "No one knew he was going to go downhill so rapidly - it's taken everybody by surprise."

She said the family has been touched by the outpouring of grief from the community and added: "We've received nearly 90 condolence cards and they're still coming. It's been overwhelming for us to know he was loved so much."

She described Daniel, who leaves a nine-year-old brother Jake, seven-year-old sister Katie, and 22-year-old brother Cameron, as a "cheeky, playful, loving and friendly" boy who would have turned 13 next month.

She said: "There were so many things he liked doing but his main thing was the computer. He loved his computer and he was learning how to programme."

Daniel was also in the after school computer club and was digital leader at The Kingswinford School - and Alison added: "He'd saved up and just bought himself a new desktop computer. He was determined to get it and he'd only had it for a few weeks when he became ill.

"His dad was so proud of him and how he'd saved up his money."

Kingswinford School headteacher Bronwyn Hedley said teachers and pupils were "so saddened" to hear of Daniel's death and she described him as "a keen, conscientious and talented student" and said: "He was an absolutely delightful person who will be so sadly missed."

She added: "Our school community came together in special assemblies to mourn his loss, share fond memories of Daniel and to say prayers for him and his family. We also held a minute’s silence in Daniel’s honour."

Ahead of the schoolboy's funeral, which will take place at 10.20am on Tuesday May 9 at Gornal Wood Crematorium, Daniel's fellow year eight pupils will line up outside the school gates to form a guard of honour and say their last goodbyes as the procession passes by.

The school's summer music concert this year will also be dedicated to Daniel's memory - and year eight students Poppy Stevens, Bethany Hargreaves, James Smirthwaite, Livi Bailey and Charlotte Taylor are planning to run in the 5K Race for Life event at Himley Hall on July 9 to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital where Daniel was treated.

Mum Alison said: "They treated him very well - and us. Unfortunately he had so many complications. We can't fault them for what they did and tried to do for him."

She said medics at the hospital had been unable to determine whether the disease itself had damaged Daniel's lungs or whether it was due to an infection and she added: "They were even in touch with microbiologists from other parts of the world to see what they could test for."

The results of a post mortem into Daniel's death are still awaited.