THE devastated parents of a boy who died of meningitis today spoke about their grief over the loss of a cheeky and loveable son.

Luke Darrell Holden, two, of Bankfield Street, Colne, died of meningococcal septicaemia in the early hours of Sunday at Burnley General Hospital.

The youngster attended the Little People of Colne nursery in Derby Street. A two-year-old girl who also attends to nursery is still ill in hospital with the bug.

Luke's parents Alison Hill and Darrell Holden said they believed he would pull through and were heartbroken when the doctors told them their son was going to die.

Darrell said: "When we got up on Saturday morning he was fine. He went for a mid-afternoon nap and at about 2pm we noticed he had a bit of a fever.

"We took him to the emergency doctor in Nelson and he checked him thoroughly and told us to keep an eye on him for vomiting.

"After tea he was sick twice and his temperature was still high and the doctor told us to up his Calpol dose but then Alison noticed a spot on his neck and two more on his tummy got a glass and did the test.

"The doctor gave him antibiotics and sent him straight to the hospital at about 11.30pm. There were about seven staff around him and they were marvellous.

"At one point they said they would have to transfer him to Pendlebury Hospital in Manchester."

Alison said: "At one stage his temperature came down and there was ray of hope but then he deteriorated again.

"The doctors told us that they would keep him going but they were sort of saying that there wasn't really any hope and they left it up to us then. He was never in pain which is a good thing and we got to say goodbye to him."

Luke, who loved Bob the Builder and watching videos of Shrek and Jungle Book, had attended the nursery for the past year and a half.

Mum Alison said: "He was so loveable and loved to give cuddles and kisses. He also had a great sense of humour for someone so young." Luke also had a ten-year-old sister, Louisa.

Luke's funeral will be tomorrow at Colne Cemetery at 2.30pm. The family have asked for donations instead of flowers, which will go toward research into meningitis. They can be sent to the Co-op Funeral Services Service, 37 Albert Street, Nelson.