A SCHOOLBOY put his best foot forward in memory of his playmate who lost a brave battle for life.

Jamie Manuel, aged nine, held a sponsored walk to commemorate what would have been his friend's third birthday today.

Matthew Grealish lost his fight against cancer last December.

The two youngsters were playmates who use to meet whenever Matthew visited his grandmother, Edna Hilton, who lives opposite Jamie's home in Daisy Avenue, Farnworth.

Jamie, a pupil at Highfield School, hoped to organise a sponsored three-legged walk to raise money for Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley.

But his mum Sharon Corless, aged 28, thought this might prove too gruelling.

Instead he and his seven-year-old brother Elliott stepped out on a four-mile circular walk from their home and along Plodder Lane with their mum and raised £34 for the hospice.

Afterwards, Jamie said: "It was tiring, but worth it to cheer up Matthew's gran, who is a lovely lady."

"I still miss Matthew."

Matthew's grandmother, Edna, aged 69, who has three great-grandchildren, was touched by Jamie's kindness and said: "He is a lovely little lad and often comes round with a card for me or a little basket of flowers.

"The last few months have been horrendous and it doesn't bare thinking what Matthew's parents have gone through.

"I don't know what we'll do to mark Matthew's birthday, but the family will do what ever his mum and dad want us to."

Matthew's parents, Jayne, aged 32, and Ian, aged 35, from Farnworth, set up the Matthew Grealish Appeal Fund, which has raised almost £10,000 for the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury; MacMillan Nurses; When You Wish Upon a Star charity and the Sir Malcolm Sargent social work charity.

Matthew's funeral also raised £2,000 for Derian House.

The youngster was diagnosed with soft tissue cancer when he was four months old.

Jamie, who also has a nine-month old brother Shaun, enjoys coming up with his own fundraising ideas and recently collected £70 for three-year-old Nathan Howarth, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder called fanconi anaemia.