'Incredible' show for Teford's brave Matthew Cooper

The 11-year-old was one of those set to finish at Wrockwardine Wood Junior School this year before moving on to secondary school.

But the youngster missed the year after being diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer and then paralysed due to strokes following major surgery.

Parents Lee and Sue sat in the audience while Year 6 pupils spoke about their happiest memories from Matthew's time at the school.

The children also revealed the exact amount they have raised towards house renovations for Matthew when he is ready to return home.

Over the past year, the school and wider community have managed to raise £50,510.

Between children talking about life in the school, they sung songs including a version of Frozen's Let It Go reworded to deal with moving on from Wrockwardine Wood.

The children, who put together much of the show themselves, also performed comedy sketches where they impersonated their teachers as though they were on ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

Matthew, who sat in the front row with fellow pupils, also shared some music he created using state-of-the-art techniques involved an Apple computer and an Xbox 360 Kinect camera.

Lee Cooper, Matthew's father, said: "We didn't realise that it was based around him and it's very nice to think that his peers think that much of him. It was truly amazing what this school has done and what everybody in the community has done.

"The amount raised is absolutely unbelievable. We never expected anything near that.

"Originally when Mrs Henry contacted us to say about raising money for Matthew, I remember very vividly saying 'a couple of hundred pound will probably help us decorate his room or something', so we've been blown away by how the whole thing has taken off."

It was a happy day after a lot of hardship for the entire family over the past 12 months.

Mr Cooper said: "In the beginning things moved that fast and unfortunately Matthew got more poorly – it's been very difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It feels like they have started to come together now, and we'll be happy to come home."

It was the first time Mr Cooper and his wife had heard the music Matthew had produced for the assembly. He uses his good hand to "paint" the notes he wants to play, helped by an Xbox 360 Kinect camera plugged into a computer.

"The music came about quite quickly," said Mr Cooper. "Matthew seems to be a natural, and I thought it was very good. It's the first time I've ever heard the piece he did, and it was wonderful that so many people enjoyed it.

"The show the children put on was incredible. I think the school have been absolutely marvellous throughout all of this. To do the sort of twist of bringing Matthew in and getting him involved was wonderful.

"We just want to say thanks to everybody that has helped. From the school, from the community and even the local businesses."

Julie Henry, headteacher of Wrockwardine Wood Junior School, said: "We wanted the assembly to be a celebration of Matthew, rather than a sad day. We wanted to do memories with him, rather than of him, and I hope that came across.

"I wanted everybody to smile. It's a happy time. It's sad everybody is moving on, and especially sad considering what Matthew has been through, but the overall feeling was that we wanted people to be happy.

"A lot of parents and staff were in floods of tears, because it could be anybody. It could be anybody's child – nobody knows what's around the corner. It was such a shock when it happened, that it has really managed to pull everybody together.

"They're a popular family, and Matthew is a popular young man – it doesn't deserve to have happened to anybody, particularly someone so lovely."

There will be another assembly for school leavers on Thursday evening, which Matthew cannot attend.

Mrs Henry said: "This was a special event so Matthew could come in the day time and experience what every other Year 6 is experiencing. They're all going to have their leavers do with the signed T-shirts and their moment of glory on the stage. His talent was shown in the music that he made.

"The amount raised is incredible. That's more than £50,000 donated from 5p of somebody selling their birthday cake right up to thousands of pounds being donated by businesses.

"It's really pulled the community together.

"I want Matthew and his parents to feel the love and respect that there is here for them."