Balloons have been released in a touching tribute to an "amazing" and "kind" footballer who died after battling a rare genetic disease.

Dartford FC women's team reserve player Leyla Latif suffered a suspected heart attack aged just 36 last week.

The young footballer had played for the side based at Princes Park since she was 14 and was a popular character and supporter both on and off the pitch.

Recent appearances had been limited owing to her diagnosis with tuberous sclerosis, a rare genetic condition which causes mainly non-cancerous benign tumours to develop in different parts of the body.

The condition later spread to her kidneys and prompted an urgent search for a transplant.

Sadly a donor match was not forthcoming and Leyla passed away on Tuesday, April 5.

Leyla's funeral took place earlier today at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Sidcup just a short distance from where she was born and grew up.

Family and friends gathered to pay their final respects and released colourful balloons in memory of her.

Among those in attendance were some of Leyla's team mates at Dartford FC who wore football shirts as a mark of respect.

"Today we said our final farewell to our Leyla," they said.

"A wonderful service, with old and new players in attendance. Leyla would have loved us all in our football shirts, chatting about old times.

"A big well done to our Coley for her speech, echoing everything we know and loved about Leyla."

Earlier this week Leyla's older sister Dilek, 40, paid tribute to her football-mad younger sibling who she described as having a real "lust for life".

She said: "Leyla was amazing, she was given seven years to live and fought for everything. She was the fittest and she lived life to the fullest.

"I think the reason she lived so long was because she had a lust for life, travelling to new countries and loved learning."

Leyla was born and grew up in Sidcup as the middle child in a Turkish household with dad Yusuf, mum Hanim and younger sister Saylan, 19.

Dilek described her as the "cheeky" one growing up, adding "she had a little glint in her eye and was always the naughty one out of the three of us".

She also had a determined personality and did not let having learning difficulties hold her back in any way.

"If there was an obstacle she would find a way," Dilek added.

Following her death, tributes poured in from opposition clubs, match officials and former team mates who remembered Leyla.

Her club Dartford Women FC also shared a tribute to her "amazing character" online, describing her as "an angel".

"We are completely and utterly in shock and heartbroken," they said.

"Leyla was so proud of all of our achievements and we were truly supportive of her challenges as she overcame many health issues to enable her to play football and train.

"The sidelines will not be the same without Leyla’s words of encouragement and her caring and thoughtful ways.

"Leyla will always be in our thoughts and hearts. As a club we send our deepest condolences to her family."