AROUND 400 people packed out a Newport church for the funeral of a local teenager known for his fighting spirit after battling two life-threatening illnesses.

Family and friends of 19-year-old Andrew Lee, of High Cross Lane, gathered at St Basil’s Church, Bassaleg, to pay respect to the brave youngster who died from pneumonia after battling Crohn’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Members of Whitehead Bowling Club, where Andrew was a keen player, held a guard of honour while the coffin draped in a Cardiff City flag was carried into the church.

Leading the service, Rector Jonathan Williams spoke about Andrew who he said "always had a smile on his face".

He said: "He sought to live life to the full.

"He had an impact on others because of his positive outlook on life."

Hymns sang included ‘Men of Harlech’ and ‘Bread of Heaven’ before the service made its way to Gwent Crematorium.

Donations were also collected for Clic Sargent and the Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association.

The Argus previously reported how Andrew died at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales on May 6 after contracting pneumonia two weeks before.

The former Bassaleg School pupil had been fighting Crohn’s disease since the age of eight and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2009.

But after undergoing numerous operations and treatment in his short lifetime, the pneumonia infection was too much.

The Argus reported last year how Andrew was given the trip of a lifetime to the World Indoor Bowls Championships in Great Yarmouth through the Make A Wish Foundation.

Andrew was also selected to play for the Wales u16 team two years ago but was unable to compete in the Home Nations competition due to him being in hospital at the time.