Tributes from classmates to teenage cancer victim
They came together to line their school grounds in solemn tribute to their friend and pupil who died after a fight against cancer.
Friends stood to pay their respects to Oldbury Academy pupil Lauryn Wray-Lee, aged 15, as the funeral cortège arrived yesterday.
The teenager, from Primrose Hill, in Smethwick, died earlier this month after a three year battle.
She had been diagnosed with Wilms disease, a form of cancer affecting the kidneys.
People wanted to pay tribute to their friend by honouring her ahead of her funeral which took place yesterday lunchtime.
A horse-drawn carriage leading the funeral cortège arrived to take her on a final journey through the grounds of the school, in Pound Road, Oldbury.
She had always loved horses and her family wanted that to be reflected in the funeral procession.
Students across all year groups at the school came outside classrooms to stand in tribute as the procession passed through the grounds.
Pink and red balloons, many featuring tributes from friends, were also released in her memory on the day.
Other flowers and balloons were laid and tied around benches at the school as teachers and students paid her a fitting tribute.
Deputy headteacher Leigh Moore said Lauryn was 'bubbly and popular' and would be sadly missed by everyone.
"She touched the lives of so many children here at the school," she said.
"She is a great loss, not just in terms of her friends and year group, but to life as well.
"We just wanted to pay our respects. Also younger pupils have also come down to pay leave tributes.
"Lauryn was a shining light"
Her older sister Danielle said 'cancer never took her smile away' and said the family were devastated by her passing.
Family members decided not to tell Lauryn the extent of her plight in her final weeks saying her hope helped keep her looking forwards.
She loved music, make up and having her nails done and dreamed of leaving school to become an entrepreneur and have her own business.
Family wanted a horse and carriage to be part of the cortège to remember her love of horses.
In May 2011 Lauryn fainted while at school and was subsequently diagnosed with a Wilms tumour.
She was referred to Birmingham Children's Hospital and started chemotherapy within weeks.
Lauryn had an operation to remove the tumour and continued chemotherapy for another eight months.
Shortly afterwards doctors were able to deliver the news that the treatment had been successful and Lauryn was in remission for six months.
But tragically during a routine follow up appointment a scan which showed the tumour had returned and had also reached her lungs.
She was forced into long stays at the children's hospital which included an intense 28 week course of chemotherapy.
She had a a second operation this August (2014) where part of her lung was removed and doctors said she was in remission for five weeks.
In September the tumour had returned again and was almost covering her lungs and doctors had to inform the family her condition was terminal.
Danielle said: "Cancer never took her smile away, if you didn't know her you wouldn't of known she was ill."
Family members wanted to thank the support from MacMillian Cancer Support and the Dream Trust which helped provide Lauryn with happy holidays to the seaside including Blackpool and Weston-super-Mare
She is survived by her parents Caroline Wray-Lee and Spencer Wray and siblings Danielle, 25, Jordan, 20, Tiegan, nine, Brooklyn, six, and 18-month-old Rio.
Her funeral was held at Holy Trinity Church, in Smethwick, followed by a service at Sandwell Crematorium.
