Pupils pay tribute to classmate Bradley Brough who died during heart surgery

Kevin and Sharon Brough cut the ribbon yesterday at an emotional afternoon in front of Bradley’s teachers, family and friends at Poppleton Ousebank School.

The garden, called Bradley’s Place, was designed and created entirely by volunteers with the help of donations from local businesses.

Mrs Brough 40, said the family had received a lot of support from the whole community since Bradley’s death.

“It’s very emotional,” she said.

“Kids have been doing things like washing cars just to raise money for this. I would like to thank the people who built this every night – they have kids of their own.

“I’m just sad Bradley isn’t here to see all his friends.”

Bradley died following complications during a planned heart operation at Leeds General Infirmary in October last year.

The youngster had lived with the serious heart condition from birth and the operation was expected to give him a better quality of life.

Before the cutting of the ribbon yesterday, his head teacher, Estelle O’Hara said: “We have had a number of parents who have donated things and others who have said ‘let us pay for that’.

“It’s been brilliant in bringing a whole community together.”

The garden was designed in conjunction with Jane Mansfield, a parent of one of the pupils at the school.

She said: “It’s a very loose Japanese idea. Bradley’s class were studying Japan at the time he died so the idea fitted.

“Japanese gardens are about being calm and serene and a place to contemplate.”

Once the garden had been designed, it was built by the owners of local company Pasema Paving, who thanked all the companies in the area who had donated materials to the project.

MPs in plea over heart unit shake-up

YORKSHIRE MPs have called on the NHS not to restrict itself to a course which could see child heart surgery services in Leeds moved to Newcastle.

A three-hour Westminster debate yesterday saw York Outer MP Julian Sturdy and fellow members express concerns over the NHS’s Safe and Sustainable Review, which wants to see fewer paediatric heart surgery centres in the UK, with services and expertise concentrated in fewer hospitals.

Only one of the four options currently on the table would see Leeds survive. The controversial plan has seen parents, doctors and politicians call for a rethink, fearing excessive travel times to the north east will put young lives at risk.

Mr Sturdy said: “The motion was carried and the key point calls on the joint committee not to restrict itself to the four options in the review.”

During the Commons debate, he said: “It said in the review that parents don’t have to accompany their children. I have two children myself and what parent would not want to accompany their child under those circumstances.”