Hundreds of mourners lined the streets of a Welsh town to pay their respects to a 10-year-old schoolboy killed in a dog attack.
Jack Lis, from Pentwyn, Penyrheol, died after being mauled by a dog while playing at a friend’s house after school on 8 November.
In a moving tribute, his mother Emma Whitfield said she “would give anything” to hear his voice again.
“I spent the last 10 years watching you grow and we got to start seeing you grow into an amazing man,” she said. “My heart aches so bad that we won’t get to see you grow into that incredible man.”
His funeral was held at St Martins Church in Caerphilly today with those attending asked to wear red – which was his favourite colour. His parents previously described their son as “the sweetest of boys” who had made them the “proudest of parents”.
The heartbroken family said their “lives will never be the same without Jack. We will forever miss his quirky ways and his stories that he would spend so long telling us”.
Members of the local community gathered on the streets around the boy’s school to pay their own respects as the funeral cortege passed by en route to the church.
The procession was led by around 30 classic cars, one of Jack’s great interests, including a DeLorean similar to the one used in his favourite film Back to the Future.
It paused briefly outside Cwm Ifor Primary School so pupils could release red balloons with notes attached dedicated to their friend.
A local fire crew formed a guard of honour and red ribbons could be seen on the streets, as a tribute to Jack.
During the service, played on speakers to crowds outside, Wales Online reported some of the boy’s musical favourites including “Start Over” by Flame and “Family Tree” by Ramz were played.
The Reverend Mark Greenway Robbins said that while no-one had expected to be at the funeral, mourners should “treasure” their memories of Jack.
The family thanked all those who had offered their “kind support during their sad loss” and who had turned out for the funeral procession.
They asked for donations to go to 2 Wish Upon a Star, a local charity supporting those affected by sudden death in young people. So far more than £420 has been donated in Jack’s memory.
The youngster is reported to have suffered “unsurvivable” injuries in the attack earlier this month. An inquest heard the provisional cause of death was “severe injuries to the head and neck”.
A 28-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the dog attack. Gwent Police said the dog involved in the attack was 15 months old but the force is still working to identify its breed.
