THE school friends of a teenager who died eight days after suffering a freak asthma attack will join his family at his funeral on Friday.

Year 10 exams at Turton High School have been delayed until after the Easter holidays to allow John Ridehalgh's friends time to grieve.

The 15-year-old died in a specialist unit at a Leicester hospital on Thursday after suffering a severe asthma attack at his home eight days before.

Headmaster John Porteous said the mood at the school since John's death had been one of "shock and great sadness".

Pupils have paid tribute to John in a room at the school where flowers in the colours of his beloved Preston North End Football Club stand alongside books of condolence.

Mr Porteous said: "At the pupils' request we have allowed them to take over the head of the upper school's office. There are two books of condolence, photographs and flowers, which have been of some comfort to John's family."

Grief counsellors have been brought into the school to help pupils deal with the death.

John, of Bromley Cross, died at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester after he was flown from the Royal Bolton Hospital on Tuesday, March 1.

He had spent the day off school with a cold when his father, Paul Ridehalgh, aged 40, found him struggling badly for breath.

Doctors in Leicester kept him alive while a series of emergency operations were carried out, but he died late on Thursday night.

Mr Ridehalgh, who works for Warburtons bakers, said: "I didn't realise just how popular John was until I saw all the messages."

The service will take place at Christ Church, Walmsley, at 11am on Friday before a separate service is held in Pilling, Lancashire, where other family members are buried.