Gillingham schoolboy Michael Crayford, who touched the hearts of so many, has died.

The 13-year-old lost his battle fighting an aggressive brain tumour, with his heartbroken parents at his bedside.

Just before Christmas, it looked as though Michael had beaten the odds after undergoing a 14-hour operation to remove an aggressive growth.

The plucky lad had endured intense chemotherapy after being diagnosed last September when the cancer was revealed in a scan at Medway Maritime Hospital. His parents had taken him to hospital after he suffered a bout of headaches, blurred vision and nausea.

He was immediately transferred to King’s College Hospital, London, for further tests which confirmed he had a rare form of brain cancer. After treatment at King’s, the Royal Marsden in London and Medway hospital, they learned chemo was not working and the tumour was getting bigger.

That was when they were told by his surgeon he would die without having an operation to remove the deadly growth.

Up until then, Michael had been a normal healthy lad who loved mucking around with his 11-year-old twin sisters, Rebecca and Hannah, and schoolmates.

Sadly, this year, the tumour returned and after several operations, his parents Carole and David, of Danes Hill, were told nothing more could be done.

Michael was a popular pupil at Robert Napier School and head teacher Andrew Minchin paid tribute.

In a statement, he said: “We convey our sincere condolences to Michael’s parents and family, and our thoughts are with them all at this very difficult time.

“The whole school was very saddened by this devastating news and we have been doing all that is possible to provide help and support to Michael’s family, his close friends and other students and staff.

“On April 27, the school already has planned an evening of music, food and drink as a fund raiser for the charity My Shining Star who have helped Michael in recent months. The school community will be working on other fitting tributes to remember Michael.”

Staff and pupils have already raised nearly £2,400 for King’s College Hospital.

His friends who play for Thamesview under 14s football are holding a minute’s silence in his memory.