Mourners to wear football shirts at boy’s funeral

Family and friends will wear football shirts when the funeral of six-year-old mascot Bradley Lowery takes place on Friday.

Bradley, whose battle with a rare childhood cancer captured hearts, died last week in his parents’ arms at his home in Blackhall, County Durham.

He had a close friendship with Premier League footballer Jermain Defoe, who said Bradley had been his “best friend”.

Bradley was a mascot for Sunderland several times last season and found a place in the hearts of football fans around the world. The youngster was also a mascot for England at Wembley. Supporters had hoped a fundraising effort could get him to the US for pioneering treatment for neuroblastoma, but his family announced at Christmas that his cancer was terminal..