Brave Bradley Lowery unites football fans at funeral
Thousands of rival fans turn out to remember the young football mascot who lost his battle with cancer last week.
Friday 14 July 2017 16:26, UK
It's not very often you see the red and white colours of Sunderland alongside the black and white stripes of Newcastle.
But old footballing rivalries were put to one side to remember the life of Bradley Lowery, the six-year-old football mascot who lost his battle to cancer.
Thousands lined the streets in his hometown of Blackwell Colliery, County Durham, to pay their respects to the boy whose fight was followed by so many.
White horses and an ornate carriage led the cortege carrying a small coffin, dressed in the colours of his favourite club, Sunderland, down past the crowds.
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![Lowery]()
Image: 'Captain America' salutes Bradley Lowery's coffin at the inspirational football mascot's funeral -
![Lowery]()
Image: Thousands lined the streets of Blackhall, County Durham, to say goodbye to the six-year-old -
![The funeral cortege for Bradley Lowery in Blackhall]()
Image: His coffin arrived at the church in a horse-drawn carriage -
![Jermain Defoe, who built a close bond with Bradley, flew in from Spain]()
Image: Jermain Defoe, who built a close bond with the boy and called him his 'best friend', flew in from Spain -
![Defoe wore an England short for the funeral]()
Image: The player, who now plays for Bournemouth, wore an England shirt -
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Image: A cast of superheroes lined up to say goodbye - Bradley's parents had called him their 'little superhero' -
![Bradley Lowery with his mother Gemma]()
Image: Bradley (pictured with mum Gemma) died from the childhood cancer neuroblastoma, but his spirit and smile won the hearts of millions -
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Image: Former Sunderland manager David Moyes was also at the service -
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Image: Tributes to Bradley have been left at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. The club called him an 'inspiration' -
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Image: And fans also paid tribute to him during the season - such as the match against Swansea on 13 May -
![Jermain Defoe of Sunderland and Bradley Lowery]()
Image: 'I feel so blessed God brought u into my life and had some amazing moments with u and for that I'm so grateful', said Defoe -
![Bradley's family have been fundraising for his treatment]()
Image: Bradley passed away in his parents arms on 7 July
Outside St Joseph's Church in the former pit village, some parents sobbed as they stood alongside their own children.
Bradley's story was was one of hope against the odds and his battle against a childhood cancer that, in the end, could not be cured.
Until the age of 18 months, Bradley was bounding around like any other toddler.
Doctors then discovered he had neuroblastoma - a cancer of the nervous system affecting young children.
He went through years of treatment - all played out on social media - as his parents looked for any hope of a cure.
But in July last year doctors told the family's Bradley's cancer was terminal.
As the coffin was carried into the church, Bradley's favourite superheros stood in a line, among them Batman, Captain America, Superwoman and Spiderman.
His real life hero, the striker Jermaine Defoe, who had struck up a close relationship with Bradley during his illness, was there to support the family.
He wore an England shirt with Bradley's name and number six on the back, as mourners were asked to wear their football shirts with pride.
A few miles down the road, hundreds of balloons were released into the air at the Stadium of Light, where Bradley had been mascot.
Sunderland AFC's chaplain Marc Lyden-Smith told the church, plus the thousands of mourners following the service on speakers outside, how football sometimes gets a bad press - but not today.
He said: "Today the football world stands united, whatever our colours, to pay their respects to this incredible little boy with a huge personality.
"Bradley Lowery has done much more than just touch the hearts of so many football fans.
"His lasting legacy is that he has, with his pure and innocent love of the beautiful game, brought people together."