Heartbroken eight-year-old schoolboy hanged himself after deaths of mum and grandad

A boy of eight who had lost his mother and grandfather to cancer within eight months, has been found hanged in his bedroom.

Joshua Aldred's family thought he had coped as well could be expected with the trauma of his mother's death at 42, so soon after that of his grandfather.

But yesterday his father Jason acknowledged that it had been too much for the boy to bear.

'Joshua' s sadness at the loss he had experienced at such a young age has resulted in this tragedy,' he said.

'The family are sure he expected to only injure himself slightly and are devastated that this cry for attention resulted in the loss of such a beautiful boy.'

Joshua was found by his grandmother on Thursday evening.

Paramedics were called, but were unable to resuscitate him.

The boy was taken to hospital, but less than an hour later he was pronounced dead.

Mr Aldred, 41, from Lytham St Anne's, Lancashire, added: 'In his very short life, Joshua had faced the double tragedy of the loss of his mother, Sarah, from breast cancer on March 17, 2008, and his granddad, John, from prostate cancer, on July 9, 2007.

'Outwardly this loving and happy child, who had a great network of family and friends to support him, coped admirably.

'He missed his mother and spoke of her often. Our very close relationship was of immense support to both of us.

'Joshua' s school life was happy and they have been monitoring him closely after the death of his mother.

'He was playing happily with no change in his school work.'

Joshua attended the fee-paying King Edward and Queen Mary School in Lytham.

A spokesman said: 'We are shocked and saddened by news of the death of Joshua Aldred.

He was a delightful little eight-yearold who will be very sadly missed by everyone.

'We are talking to the children and their parents in the preparatory school and are providing support to them.

'Our deepest sympathy goes to Joshua's father and the family and we of course respect their rights to privacy at this sad time.'

The cause of death has not yet been confirmed but police say it is not believed to be suspicious.

The case has been passed to the coroner and a post-mortem examination is due to take place.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: 'The ambulance service and local police in Lytham were called to an address on Thursday after an eight-year-old boy was found unconscious in his bedroom by his grandmother.

' He was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital but was sadly pronounced dead at 8pm after resuscitation attempts failed.'

A police source added: 'It would appear the boy has taken the deaths in his family very much to heart and that what happened to his mother and granddad was dwelling on him.'