"We are distraught at the tragic loss of our extremely popular son, who loved everybody and everybody loved him.

Sam was full of life and full of energy. Sam loved to be outside playing with his friends. Sam would talk to anyone, it didn’t matter to him what creed you were or if you were disabled, that is how Sam was. We never realised how popular Sam was.

One of his joys was with his friends, he would knock on the neighbour’s doors and ask them if he could go and find crickets in their gardens and then we would find them in our beds at home. That was Sam, he would never hurt a fly, not even crickets.

Sam was ever so popular even at his school, Falkland Primary school where he loved to go.

Sam will be sadly missed, but never forgotten."

The funeral will be on Tuesday 15th August 2006 at 1200hrs noon. Then on to Shaw cemetery, Newbury at 1pm for his burial. All of Sam’s friends are welcome. No black to be worn.