THE devastated parents of little Ashley Rigby face the future without their beloved son but in the knowledge that they filled his short life with love and happiness.

Just as Ashley was so tragically taken from them by meningitis, his father Andrew and step mum Georgina Allen had created a loving home life for him and their other children Kirstie, 4, and ten-month-old Connor.

This was Andrew and Georgina's greatest wish - after the break-up of Andrew's marriage when Ashley was just two years old.

Andrew, who himself had meningitis as a child, said: "Georgina and I had this dream that we would marry and Ashley would be our page boy and Kirstie our flower girl."

Andrew, of Eden Street, Astley Bridge, reflects that when his mariage to Ashley's mother broke up, he and his son's lives were turned upside down.

He said: "I just threw myself into my work, I was working full time as a car hire manager and on occasion even took Ashley to work.

"I thought I was never going to meet anyone. I'd resigned myself to it.

"It was a miracle when I met Georgina, she was in the same position as me, she had a daughter, Kirstie."

Looking back the couple say they just knew from the beginning they were right for each other and they were delighted when Ashley and Kirstie immediately became friends.

Georgina said: "Kirstie started calling Andrew daddy, but it was a shock to hear Ashley call me mummy. It was such a compliment."

She added that Kirstie and Ashley were so alike - there was only six months between them and both were beautiful children with blonde hair.

"They would do everything together."

The couple broke the news to Kirstie that Ashley had died on Saturday.

Andrew recalls that he recently treated Ashley and Kirstie to a trip to Blackpool and the circus.

He said: "I'd just got promoted in January so I had been busy at work.

"I just felt I needed to spend extra time with them. It's almost as if I sensed something."

And Andrew added that just two weeks ago he had sat on the end of Ashley's bed to chat to him about his school work.

"He asked me why it was important to do well with his reading and writing.

"I told him that while he was little mummy and daddy would look after him but when he was big he could look after mummy and daddy.

The couple say they have been amazed by the messages of support and tributes they have received since their son's death.

Although the majority have been from the community a number have come from further afield.

Andrew said: "Ashley was a little boy who hated tears and sadness and he hated being ill.

"He was like a little angel, he had an infectious smile. He just wanted to make people happy.

And Georgina, 22, added: "I felt privileged that he had chosen me as his mum."

The couple are determined that Ashley's death will not be in vain.

Since the tragedy they have spoken to Bolton Health Authority and expressed their concern about the current procedures dealing with meningitis cases.

Andrew, 35, said: "When Ashley has been cremated I don't want people to forget what has happened. I don't want him to have died for nothing."

The couple were not informed about a previous meningitis case at Ashley's primary school just a week before he died.

They have been told that as it was treated as an isolated case parents of pupils at the school were not informed.

Andrew and Georgina, who do not in anyway blame Ashley's school, believe that parents should be told - not to cause panic but to make parents aware of the possible risks.

Georgina said: "Would it have been such a hardship for mums to stay behind after school and for someone to have talked to us? We are all made aware of meningitis when there isn't a problem. But when there was a problem, we were not told."

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