MUM Carol Buckley said her brave son Kyle had been an inspiration after he lost his four-year battle with cancer.

Kyle, aged 12, died with his family at his side at home at 5am today. He had been fighting the rare muscle tissue cancer Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma since he was just eight years old.

Mrs Buckley paid a heartfelt tribute to her son. She said: “She said: "He was an inspiration to us all. He was such a brave boy and he fought the horrible disease to the end.

"He was not suffering or in any pain when the time came.

"Everybody has been fantastic, all the posts on Facebook have been about Kyle.

"He has just been so strong and such a fighter for the last nearly four years."

Kyle lost his father, Gary, to bowel cancer when he was just nine months old.

And Mrs Buckley said the pair would now be reunited.

She said: "He has gone to his dad in heaven, he can go and have some good time with him now, he never really met his dad.

"I'm going to miss him incredibly, but I have all the good memories of him to keep forever."

Kyle was with is mother, step-father Robert Coen and three-year-old sister when he died at home in Atherton, where they had moved from Deane.

Mrs Buckley broke the news in a heartbreaking Facebook post.

Writing on the social media site, she said: “This morning at 5am our special brave little boy Kyle Peter David Buckley passed away peacefully, at home in his own bed.

“No more suffering now baby boy, you can go spend another life with your dad in heaven now, love you so much and will miss you loads, xxxxx.”

Martin Witter, teacher at Ladybridge High School, in Deane, where Kyle was a pupil, also paid an emotional tribute to him.

He said: “The whole Ladybridge family is devastated to hear the tragic new of the loss of our dear Kyle. He was an inspiration to all of us with his bravery and determination.

“We will miss him terribly and our thoughts are with his family at this most difficult time.”

John Bradford, landlord at The Brooklyn in Great Lever, held a number of fundraising events for Kyle.

He said: “We were so, so sad to hear that news. He was a brave lad, he has been here many times, we have done a few things for him, it’s a close thing to us here.”

Our readers also took to our Facebook page to express their sadness over Kyle's death.

Rachael Storey said: "What a brave brave boy. He has taught the world a lot of important things. What an inspiration he is. Prayers and thoughts are with his family. Carry on shining Kyle in heaven. A light like yours cannot be turned off, it just shines in another place where we can't go just yet."

Susan Eckersall added: "RIP brave little man, prayers go out to his mum and family, he will be met at heaven's door by his dad, and this must be a comfort. xx"

And Helen Bradley added: RIP Kyle. Heaven has gained another special angel. XxX

Bolton comic Peter Kay donated £75,000 to the Make Kyle Smile fund last month, raised through a special Q&A event he held at the Manchester O2 Apollo.

It was hoped that the money could help find a special treatment for Kyle which would extend his life or cure him.

But recently his family said medics were unable to help and they were concentrating on keeping Kyle as comfortable and happy as possible.

Last week one of his dreams came true when he was visited by his idol, the TV magician, Dynamo.

Kyle was first diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma in 2014 and received intensive treatment.

A drug he was given to combat the disease had an adverse effect and he became deaf in July, 2014.

He fought hard, but relapsed in May, 2015 before he was given the all-clear in December of that year.

But in March, 2017 a scan showed that Kyle's cancer had returned.