AN eight-year-old boy has candidly spoken about the support he and his family have received following the sudden death of his father three Christmases ago.

Oliver Lavery was just five years old when his dad Paddy died on December 27, 2016, leaving Oliver, his younger brother James, now four, and mum Penny, who was pregnant at the time with Bella, now two.

After being taken to hospital on Christmas Day with blood clots on his lungs, Paddy suffered two cardiac arrests on Boxing Day and died the next day, at just 26 years old.

The family, from Hexham, has dipped in and out of the support offered by Emma Andrews, at the Family Support Service at Tynedale Hospice at Home, over the past three years.

Oliver said: “I like seeing Emma because it helps me remember Daddy.”

Oliver talked through the memory box and memory book which he, Penny and Emma had created, recording moments before he was born such as when his parents met, but also giving him the chance to share his own memories such as when they would watch Top Gear together. He also talked through a story board he had made covering the events from Paddy’s death and his funeral, up to the present day.

Emma said it was important to help Oliver understand death in an age-appropriate way, as well as helping the family to record their memories.

Penny said: “Some parts were quite difficult, I cried quite a lot but I think that’s good for Oliver – to show the emotion and show him that it’s OK to be sad and talk about it. But it was nice going over things and thinking about the nice times, so we laughed a lot as well.”

Oliver also won hearts and helped raise money for Children In Need, which part-funds the hospice’s work with bereaved children, when he spoke on Zoe Ball’s BBC Breakfast Show. Penny added: “It’s good having someone there to support the whole family. It is so helpful.”