Colourful dress for boy's funeral

Harry's funeral will be on the day before he would have been five

The family of a boy who has died of meningitis have asked people at his funeral to wear coloured clothes.

Harry Smith's relatives say they want the service on Friday - the day before what would have been his fifth birthday - to celebrate his short, happy life.

Harry, of Barmouth, Gwynedd, died last Thursday after he was transferred to a Manchester hospital from Wrexham.

His grandmother, Maris Simpson, said: "We don't want people to wear black and we want as much colour as possible."

The funeral will be at St Mary's Church, Dolgellau, on Thursday (1300 BST).

Mrs Simpson said burial at the local cemetery would make it more convenient for Harry's parents, Jason, 36, and Helen, 33, to attend to his grave.

The consultants in Manchester said that some children get over meningitis and some do not. Tragically Harry did not Maris Simpson, grandmother

"We have all been overwhelmed by the cards and messages of condolence by the people from Barmouth and Dolgellau," she said.

"People we don't know come up to us in the street to say how sorry they are to hear of Harry' s death."

Mrs Simpson said doctors in the Barmouth surgery had said that Harry's father Jason had acted very quickly when he realised his son was ill.

"The medical staff at Dolgellau hospital where they gave him antibiotics and at Wrexham and Pendlebury hospital in Manchester did all they could to try to save Harry.

"The consultants in Manchester said that some children get over meningitis and some do not. Tragically Harry did not," said Mrs Simpson.

"Harry would have been five this Friday and that is why they wanted the funeral the day before," added Mrs Simpson.

National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHSW) said Harry probably died from meningococcal septicaemia.

Close contacts of the boy who required medication have been treated. Parents at Ysgol y Traeth, where Harry was a pupil, have also been given information.