ARCHIE Battersbee's mum broke down in tears today as she paid tribute to her "best little boy" as he was laid to rest at his funeral.

Hollie Dance found the 12-year-old unconscious with a ligature over his head at the family home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on April 7.

He had suffered catastrophic brain damage.

The youngster was placed on life-support at the Royal London Hospital which included a ventilator and a combination of drugs to keep him alive.

But he never regained consciousness.

Archie's funeral began at 12pm today at St Mary's Church in Prittlewell, Southend.

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Speaking to a packed congregation, Hollie broke down in tears as she praised her "very skilled, and very, very energetic" boy.

The broken mum added: "He was the best little boy, ever, he was just perfect.

"A perfect little man."

Her touching tribute was followed by the song Amazing Grace as the tear-jerking service drew to a close.

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EssexLive reported there were not enough orders of service because of the sheer number of attendees.

A video tribute of Archie's life played as hundreds poured into the church.

Hip hop was the first music to be played at the church before a choir lifted the roof with a rendition of Mariah Carey's hit One Sweet Day.

The first reading was a touching letter from St Paul to the Corinthians – sparking an outpouring of emotion from mourners.

And a pal paid tribute to the tragic lad saying he "loved boxing and gymnastics" and was always fun to be around.

A pair of boxing gloves feature on the order of service – it is unclear if they are Archie's.

Archie's coffin was then loaded onto a horse-drawn carriage laden with flowers and taken to the family's private burial as hundreds lined the street for his final send off.

Bosses at Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the Royal London, asked a High Court judge to make decisions on what medical moves were in Archie's best interests.

Doctors throughout the ordeal said the lad was "brain stem dead" and his organs had entered necrosis, meaning they were dying.

In June, his parents won a review of evidence after a High Court judge concluded that the youngster was dead.

But in July, a judged based in the Family Division of the High Court in London ruled doctors at the Royal London Hospital could lawfully switch off his life-support.

Mum Hollie and dad Paul Battersbee launched a heart-rending campaign to keep their lad alive – taking the case to the UN.

Hollie even insisted she had evidence of Archie breathing unaided – but this was not proven.

But tragically the parents failed in bids to overturn Mr Justice Hayden's ruling and Archie's died on August 6 after having his life-support turned off.

'PROUDEST MUM IN THE WORLD'

Announcing her son’s death, mum Hollie said: “Can I just say, I’m the proudest mum in the world.

“He was such a beautiful little boy.

"And he fought right until the very end, and I am so proud to be his mum.”

Hollie thinks Archie he may have been taking part in a social media challenge which sees youngsters pass out and regain consciousness on camera.

She says the game has claimed 82 kids' lives.

Ms Dance is preparing to discuss the implications of Archie's case with a health minister.

She wrote to Steve Barclay, who was health secretary when Archie died, asking if she and her MP Anna Firth could meet for talks.

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Mr Barclay, who is no longer Health Secretary, replied to say a minister would discuss Archie's case.

The Christian Legal Centre who are supporting the family said no date had yet been fixed for a meeting.

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