A seven-year-old boy who beat leukaemia moved guests to tears when he gave a moving best man’s speech at his parents’ wedding.

Alex Vaughan, who fought a tough battle against acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since he was diagnosed in January, told his parents how much he loved them during the speech.

His father Luke asked him to be best man months before doctors discovered the youngster had cancer.

It was uncertain whether he would be well enough to fill the role as he underwent aggressive treatment during the course of the year.

But when the day arrived, Alex proudly took his place by the side of his father and handed over the rings during the wedding between Mr Vaughan and Alex’s mother Kim Cocker.

Alex, who has recently returned full-time to primary school, later read out the speech, which he had written himself, at the ceremony in Preston.

During the speech Alex explained how ‘when I decided to do a speech it was to tell my mum and dad how much I love them’.

He goes on to say how he was scared at the thought of doing a speech, but goes on to say how his father told him: ‘You shouldn’t be scared of anything because you’ve been through the scaries thing ever’.

His mother said: ‘He wrote it himself and it was amazing. The speech went really well, Alex was so confident, and everyone was crying.’

She went on to say: ‘I was really proud of him when he gave the rings to me and his dad.

‘It was a big surprise when he gave us both a gift. He had gone out and bought them himself, a watch and cufflinks for his dad and a Pandora bracelet and charm for me.’

Alex’s two-year-old brother, Dylan, was guest of honour for the day, and the four were back at home in Chadderton in time for Christmas.