Tribute to boy in crash with bus

The boy's mother said he idolised his close family and friends

The family of a young cyclist who died in a collision with a bus two days after celebrating his 10th birthday say he was a "lovely lad".

Ellis Smith was killed in a crash with a single-decker bus in Church Hill Way, Redditch, Worcestershire, on Thursday afternoon.

His main birthday present was an Echo Pouch for storing his MP3 player - he had this with him when he died.

The boy, from the Church Hill area, was a "keen" football fan, police said.

West Mercia police have said the child was initially hit by the front of the bus after coming out of an alleyway.

Loveable rogue

The road was shut for several hours following the incident.

Ellis, who was a pupil at Church Hill Middle School, lived with his mother Julie, 14-year-old sister Roux and five-year-old brother Brooklyn.

A statement released by the family said Ellis was "always smiling".

His mother said: "Ellis was a loveable rogue who idolised his close family and friends.

"We have been devastated by his death and he will be deeply missed by all of us."