GAZETTE & HERALD: Devastated parents of 15-year-old Christian Paduch, who died last Saturday, have been told by doctors that there was no way of knowing there was a cyst buried deep in his brain.

Christian, known as Chrissy to his friends and family, had returned to his home in Lysley Close, Pewsham, on Friday morning after a sleepover a friend's house.

After going to bed complaining of a headache, he said to his father Matthew Price, 30, that he had been sick the night before.

When his mother Liz Paduch returned home from work later that day, he told her he thought he had food poisoning. But his condition quickly took a turn for the worse and his frightened parents called an ambulance. However, Chrissy had suffered a brain haemorrhage and died in hospital in Bath in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mrs Paduch, 32, who like her husband is a police officer based in Swindon, said that doctors told her there was no way of knowing of her son's condition.

"They said he was probably born with a tiny cyst deep down in his brain and that it had grown as he had grown until it caused a blood vessel next to it to burst," she said.

"We cannot believe that our five feet 11, fit and healthy son is gone," added Mr Price.

Mrs Paduch said Chrissy had been excited about going to his friends for the sleepover and had already done half of his paper round so he could go.

"He didn't say it a lot, but as he left to go to his friends', he said, 'I'm off now mum, love you lots.'"

Mrs Paduch said her son had shown little outward signs of illness in the weeks prior to his death.

"A couple of weeks ago he had a headache while we were on holiday in Menorca, but he had been out playing football the day before he died."

A pupil of Abbeyfield School in Chippenham, Chrissy had been predicted to score top grades in his GCSEs next summer.

"He was very intelligent and last year had come second in a national maths competition," said his mother.

"He wrote beautiful poetry and could cook and speak French brilliantly.

"Many of them (his friends) have been around to see us or sent cards - they seem absolutely lost and bewildered at what has happened."

Ben Stackman, 16, who lives two doors down from the Paduch's, described Chrissy as his best friend.

"We spent all our time together, there was nothing bad you could say about him," he said.

Ben's mother, Sarah Stackman, 38, added: "Chrissy spent almost as much time at our house as he did at home. His passing has left a huge hole in our lives."

Chrissy's parents also have an eight-year-old son called Jack, who is staying with friends while they make funeral arrangements.

"Jack is devastated, Chrissy loved his little brother and read him bedtime stories," said Mrs Paduch.

"We all feel so lost he had so many plans - halfway to becoming a man.

"We want as many of his friends and people that knew him as possible to come to his service.

"We didn't feel like we had enough time with Chrissy and we want more - he was a truly fab son."

Chrissy's funeral takes place at St Mary's RC church in Station Hill, Chippenham, at 2pm on Monday (August 23). All his friends are welcome. Family flowers only please, with any donations to the National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.