HUNDREDS of people have attended the funeral of tragic Redditch schoolboy Callum Cartlidge.

Family, friends, and campaigners packed out Redditch Crematorium, many wearing Chelsea football shirts with 'Callum' printed on the back with others carrying yellow roses.

The youngster's coffin arrived in a white horse drawn carriage.

The highly emotional service included a reading done on behalf of Callum's mother Stacey and songs such as In The End by Linkin Park, sung to Callum when he was a baby by father Aidy, and Dance with My Father by Luther Vandross.

Funeral Celebrant Alan Feeney described Callum as "always positive".

“We should not remember him in bad times. He would want us to be happy now," he said.

"Callum loved you all, he was such a loving boy.

“He loved family holidays. He loved football. From the very beginning he had a character. He had a fantastic sense of humour.”

The eight-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest on March 3.

Ambulance staff reportedly asked to go to Redditch's Alexandra Hospital, two minutes away from the family home, but were instead sent to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.

They arrived in 23 minutes but sadly Callum died.

A fundraising page, set up by Callum's auntie Anita Walsh, to pay for a funeral costs and a memorial garden exceeded its £3,000 target, making almost £7,000.

Commenting on the page, Anita said: "My family and myself would like to thank everyone for your kind words and amazing donations.

"You have all made it possible for Callum to have the best farewell he can have. We really cannot thank you enough."