THE funeral of Leukaemia sufferer Alex Wardrope was due to take place today.

Alex, of Sidewood Road, New Eltham, lost his two-year battle against the blood cancer on January 7, when he died peacefully at King's College Hospital in south London.

The 19-year-old will be laid to rest today, at noon, at All Saints Church, Bercta Road, New Eltham.

Alex's mother Joanne Wardrope stressed that she did not want the funeral to be a sombre occasion.

The primary school teacher hoped some of Alex's old friends from Crown Woods School, Eltham, would attend and said she did not want people coming to the funeral to dress in black.

She added: "It will be a celebration of Alex's life. We don't want to mourn him, he was too young."