Mourners wearing bright colours filled a church with laughter during a service to celebrate the life of teenager Josh James.

More than 100 friends and relatives joined the tribute to 15-year-old Josh, who died peacefully at home on Friday morning surrounded by his family.

Zoe Ball, a friend of Josh and his family, attended the service at St Bartholomew's Church in Brighton yesterday.

The radio and TV presenter, who lives in Hove, embraced Josh's tearful mum Cindy as she arrived at the church in Ann Street, a venue chosen by Josh's family because it was his former school church.

The family requested mourners wear bright colours instead of black. They wanted the service to be a celebration to capture the spirit of Josh, who had battled with the rare cancer Ewing's sarcoma for more than a year.

Friends arrived with bouquets and arrangements of summer flowers.

They clasped hands and embraced in the church. One young mourner with a Mohican haircut wore pink angel wings.

Josh's white coffin stood a few feet from his family, an angel of white flowers on top. An array of floral tributes lay nearby, signed with farewell messages to a special friend, son and young man who was such an inspiration to many.

Two boards covered in photos of a smiling Josh nestled among the carpet of flowers.

Bright yellow blooms spelled out the words Josh and Our Son.

Friends had penned moving messages on an arrangement of flowers.

One said goodbye with the words: "You have been my best friend and you always will be. I miss you so much and you will be with us always. Lots of love, Tom."

There were floral love hearts and arrangements featuring frogs.

The Reverend Vickery House led the service with Psalm 23, The Lord's My Shepherd.

Ben Marchant, of the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, a Surrey-based organisation which supports families with a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness, wrote a moving tribute to the teenager which was read out by Mr House, who said it "captured what all of us would like to say".

It said: "In August last year my line manager Chris told me about a boy I was due to meet. He said he was called Josh James and although he was very ill he wanted to keep this from as many people as possible.

"Of course, Josh's teachers knew but when they asked him why he was not attending school he said he had broken a leg. When one of his teachers visited his home, she asked if he had broken his leg, why had he lost all his hair? Josh replied he had broken both his legs and the shock caused it to fall out."

The congregation filled the church with laughter.

The tribute continued: "Despite wanting to keep his illness quiet, Josh knew he would have to tell his classmates and in September, I, along with Cindy, took Josh into school to tell his friends why he wouldn't be there and answer any questions about his illness.

"This was the first time I saw for myself the strength of character Josh possessed. It was always difficult to feel down around Josh, even near the end of his illness, because of his sense of humour. You always knew where you stood with him.

"On one occasion I attended Stanmore Hospital. Both Josh and I were looking at the X-rays and his brain scan.

"I said his brain looked quite small and before I had even finished Josh looked at me and said he had heard I had had a scan and tests had proved inconclusive whether I had a brain at all.

"It's extremely difficult to say enough that will do Josh justice."

When Josh had been told his treatment was no longer working, the teenager sought Ben out at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London to break the news to him personally.

Ben was also struck by the relationship between Josh and his mother, Cindy, of Birch Grove Crescent, Brighton.

He said: "The first day I met Josh I was struck by the bond between them. For me, seeing the love and support Josh received from his family and friends made things easier when he died.

"In his 15 years, and in particular the past 12 months, Josh achieved so much and affected so many people. I doubt anyone who met Josh will ever forget him. I will always be thankful I met him and be grateful for all he taught me."

Mourners then sang the hymn Lord of All Hopefulness before a family friend read the poem God's Lent Child.

Prayers were offered for Ben, Josh's nurse Frances, his friend Tom, and his family, and for a group of people also fighting illnesses Josh had asked to be mentioned.

Finally, Josh's coffin was carried from the service by relatives and friends to a horse-drawn carriage topped with floral tributes.

The two horses, adorned with white plumes, were directed through the streets to Woodvale Crematorium.