HUNDREDS of people gathered at the unveiling of a memorial star in Oakdale yesterday morning in memory of a 15-year-old boy who died last year.

Friends and family members hugged as the star-shaped stone dedicated to Jack Thomas was unveiled by boxer Nathan Cleverly in the centre of the village.

A bronze ring around the edge of the star shows one of Jack's well-known phrases: "Life ain't a dress rehearsal, make it count."

A tight-knit group of around 30 youngsters petitioned Oakdale Community Partnership and Caerphilly council to install the memorial, which is 1.7 metres in diametre and designed by Welsh artist Rubin Eynon.

Jack, a popular Oakdale Comprehensive School pupil, won gold medals in taekwondo in Europe and competed all over the UK, winning around 200 medals in total, one of which was presented to him by Mr Cleverly.

Mr Cleverly said: "It is my pleasure to do this, Jack sounded like a great lad and I presented him with his taekwondo trophy and a football trophy. It is a nice touch for me to come back and reveal this memorial for him."

A Liverpool FC flag was draped over the star, one of Jack's greatest passions, said his dad Grant, who also thanked Jack's friends for their part in the memorial.

"For me it's pride that his friends right from the early days said, 'we want something that's for us'. I coached them all from when they were young five-year-olds and they have always been a really tight bunch.

"Thursday was Jack's birthday and 17 of them went out and had a meal together, it is quite humbling."

Jack, who died suddenly last February from suspected cardiac arrhythmia, was described by his parents and brother Owain at the time as a hero who was happy, intelligent and a fun-loving young man.

"Sport was Jack's life," Mr Thomas told the Argus on Saturday. "He would get up in the morning and the first thing he would do was put on the Liverpool FC channel on TV and then Sky Sports news. He was really driven and a clever lad and was going to go a long way. Today is not about us, it's about his friends and I am proud of them."

A NUMBER of Jack's friends have been fundraising partly to pay for the memorial and also for the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), including 16-year-old Emily Brown who ran a 10k and did a cycle ride across San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge helping to raise £1,000.

Owen Davies and Scott Winnel,[CORR] both 17, helped out at a ladies night as topless waiters to raise funds, while Caerphilly council worker Tracey Jones presented Jack's mum June with a cheque for £1,176.50 during the unveiling, which she raised running the London marathon.

Visit www.c-r-y.org.uk for more information.