Archie Battersbee's family announce funeral date in Essex for Southend 12-year-old

Archie Battersbee died in hospital after his life-support was withdrawn earlier this month. Credit: PA

The funeral of Archie Battersbee will take place next month, a family spokesman has said.

The 12-year-old, who was at the centre of a life-support treatment fight, died on 6 August.

Archie's family had fought to keep him alive in a lengthy legal battle, and were supported by the campaign group Christian Legal Centre.

A spokesman for the centre said Archie's funeral would take place at St Mary's Church in Prittlewell in Southend on 13 September.

Archie was found unconscious at home by his mother Hollie Dance in April.

He never regained consciousness and doctors treating him at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, believed he was brain-stem dead. They said continued life-support treatment was not in his best interests.

A lengthy legal fight by Archie's family ended at the start of August and his life-support was withdrawn.

Last week Ms Dance gave an in-depth interview with ITV News Anglia about the day Archie died, revealing her final words to him and why his death should "make change".

On Tuesday, Archie's local MP Anna Firth called for a meeting with the health secretary to discuss the 12-year-old's care.

Firth, the Conservative MP for Southend West, labelled the dispute over his life-support treatment as "just not appropriate".

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