Tributes have been paid to eight-year-old leukaemia victim Reece Fleming who “married” his eight-year-old sweetheart the day before he died on 5 July, 2008.

Reece's family believe he clung to life just long enough for his mock wedding to Elleanor Pursglove because he had always said he wanted to marry her.

The emotional event took place at the family's home in Mackworth, Derby, where the youngsters even exchanged rings.

Reece's mother, Lorraine Fleming, 28, said: “They have been good friends for years. He had asked her a few times before and she decided to accept. It is something he had his heart set on. It was emotional, you can't really describe in words what it was like. They were both very quiet but there was a lot of feeling in the room.

Elleanor's mother, Hannah, said: “She is missing him a lot now. It was very special, he just kept smiling at her. They were both just really pleased.

Reece, a pupil at Brackensdale Junior School, was diagnosed with leukaemia in July 2004.

At first, Lorraine thought her four-year-old son had a virus and took him to a GP but his symptoms worsened.

She said: “One day he crawled past me on his hands and knees and said, 'Mum, my legs are really hurting'. I knew something was not right and took him to hospital.

Reece underwent several cycles of chemotherapy and one cycle of radiotherapy but, in May, doctors at Nottingham's Queens Medical Centre said there was nothing more to do.

They told Lorraine and Reece's stepfather, Mick Thompson, 28, that the youngster had three weeks to live.

The couple decided to take Reece home where, with the help of a nurse, they cared for him until his death on July 5.

Lorraine said: “He was such a battler. He kept going for another five weeks.He did really well. Throughout his treatment he was really brave. He loved going to school and went when he was clearly not well enough. He had a high threshold of pain and for him to show it meant that he was suffering."