West Ham pays tribute after Isla Caton, 7, dies with rare form of cancer

West Ham paid tribute on Tuesday to "brave young Hammer" Isla Caton after the seven-year-old died following a long fight with illness.

After being diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of child cancer, players, supporters and staff rallied around the Caton family.

Collections at the London Stadium and donations from the likes of joint-chairman David Sullivan helped in providing treatments to battle the disease.

Isla was a mascot for West Ham’s Premier League game at home to Bournemouth in January 2018.

She was later named in the West Ham squad for their Boxing Day fixture against Southampton by which time – having been declared cancer-free in 2019 – the illness had returned and she died on the morning of January 25.

West Ham posted a moving statement on their official website, while tributes poured in on Twitter.

“Everyone in the West Ham United family has been left heartbroken by the passing of brave young Hammer Isla Caton,” West Ham’s message read.

“Isla passed away in the early hours of Tuesday 25 January, aged just seven, five years after initially being diagnosed with the rare child cancer neuroblastoma.

“The deepest sympathies of everybody at the club are with Isla’s parents Nicola and Michael and her wider family and friends at this saddest of times.”

Isla's parents fought tirelessly for her to ensure that she had the best life possible. They even sold some of their possessions to take her to Barcelona for treatment where they remained for two years until returning home to the UK when the Covid pandemic struck.

League One side, Accrington Stanley, also tweeted: "Everyone at #asfc is saddened to hear of the passing of Isla Caton. Our thoughts go out to Isla’s family and friends."

Footballing rivalries were also put to one side, with West Ham's rivals, Millwall 'sending their love'.

Around 100 children are diagnosed with high risk neuroblastoma each year.