AN adorable eight-year-old boy with an “infectious laugh” has died after suffering an asthma attack.

Aaron Dearden had just been named Star of the Week at Peel Brow Primary School in Rams-bottom.

But two days later — on Sunday, April 28 — he had an asthma attack at his home in Poplar Grove, Ramsbottom.

It is believed to have caused cardiac arrest and Aaron was taken to Fairfield Hospital by ambulance, where he later died.

He leaves his parents, Colin Dearden and Rachel Turner, brother Charlie, aged 11, and sister Millie, aged six, as well as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

His aunt, Diana Eldred, of Wash Lane, Bury, said: “It’s a tragic loss that all the family can’t comprehend. We can’t get our heads around why he was taken so soon.

“His brother and sister are devastated. They were so close and always together.

“His parents are absolutely distraught. His mum called him her ‘little man’ and his dad called him ‘sunshine’.”

Aaron was a year three pupil at Peel Brow Primary and loved being a Beaver with the 2nd Ramsbottom (St Paul With St John’s) group.

He enjoyed riding his green scooter, using it to travel to school and home each day, and collected Moshi Monster toys.

He also loved wrestling and went to watch it in Manchester in January with his uncles and aunts.

Aaron celebrated his eighth birthday on April 5 with a sleepover with his cousin and saved his birthday money to buy wrestling figures.

Mrs Eldred, aged 37, said: “He was adorable. He was the smallest child in the family, but he had the biggest smile. He was cheeky in a cute way.

“He was lovely and he was a mummy’s boy. He loved nothing more than playing with his brother, sister and cousins and having fun.

“He was forever playing jokes and was comical. He had such an infectious laugh and whenever he laughed, it made everyone else laugh.”

Aaron was diagnosed with asthma at the age of two and had previously stayed in hospital after asthma attacks, but it is not known why this incident proved to be fatal.

Mrs Eldred said: “We knew he had asthma, but it’s not something we thought would ever take him from us.”

Friends were asked to make donations to charity Asthma UK instead of buying flowers for Aaron’s funeral, which was held yesterday at St John’s Church in Shuttleworth.

There were floral tributes in the shape of his scooter, a wrestling ring and a Moshi Monster, and Moshi Monster transfers were put on his white coffin.

Pupils from Peel Brow Primary and members of his Beaver colony sang during the service.

Flowers, poems, pictures and teddies have also been left in his memory next to a tree at the Fir Street school.

A special assembly is being held tomorrow morning and balloons will be released in his memory.

Headteacher Mr Danny Mellor said: “This has been a terrible tragedy and an awful shock for the whole school community.

“Aaron was a lovely, bright and enthusiastic little boy who was popular with children and staff alike. He had a great sense of humour and an infectious smile.

“Our thoughts are with the whole family and everyone at Peel Brow will support them and each other through this sad situation.

“He will be dearly missed.”