A brave five-year-old who battled a rare form of cancer more than half of his life has passed away.

Jacob Jones, from Braintree, passed away peacefully at Little Haven’s Children’s Hospice on Saturday.

The John Ray Infant School pupil, had battled neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of the deadly disease, since he was two-years-old.

Despite this, Jacob never let his illness get the better of him and his smile became a well-known sight around Braintree, where the community helped raise more than £82,000 to go towards specialist treatment for him in America.

In a statement on Saturday, his parents Adam and Kerry said: “Just last week Jacob was kicking a football around with his much loved cousins.

“Today at 11am Jacob gained his Angel wings and joins the other little soldiers who bravely fought neuroblastoma.

“We will never understand the speed at which he was taken from us. RIP our gorgeous boy.”

The money raised in his honour will go to Solving Kids Cancer.

A statement posted yesterday on the Twitter account run by Jacob’s family said: “Thinking today about the things Jacob didn't get a chance to see or do during his 5-and-a-half year life; something we will do many times over the coming months, and probably years.

“Seeing real snow for the first time. Jacob missed this by just one day.”

It was only on November 30 that his family learnt Jacob had no chance of recovery and had just weeks to live.

Donate at: www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/solvingkidscancer/jacobjones.