A Malling teenager who bravely battled a brain tumour has died surrounded by his family.

Jayden Powell, 17, was diagnosed during an eye test in February last year and spent much of this year travelling to the Hallwang Clinic in Germany for immunotherapy, which is not available on the NHS.

The treatment was funded thanks to a huge community effort, which saw friends and family donate some £300,000 in a bid to help the teen beat the tumour.

There were further stumbling blocks along the way, when material that could have saved his life failed to arrive on time back in April.

More recently, however, the former Aylesford School pupil appeared to be responding well to the treatment and his family had started to make plans for a big celebration for his 18th birthday on August 30.

Tragically though, they were told last week that Jayden had suffered an infection, and that the tumour was becoming too aggressive.

He was then sent home from Tunbridge Wells Hospital to be with his family and died peacefully in his sleep at 6.15am this morning (Thursday).

Dad Steve, a film set construction worker, said: "It feels like my heart has been ripped out.

"We'll remember Jayden as someone who was always smiling and never complained.

"Stuff like this always happens to the innocent people and it's so sad that it was so close to his 18th birthday.

"If he was diagnosed earlier, or if the tumour tissue had been delivered on time, could that have made a difference? We'll never know.

"Everybody did so well and we're so grateful to everyone who helped raise so much money."

Tanya Kelvie, head teacher of Aylesford School, said: "This is a very sad day for us and our thoughts go out to the family."