The funeral was held yesterday of the five-year-old Londonderry boy who drowned after he fell into a hotel swimming pool near EuroDisney in Paris.

Colum Canning, from Springtown Road, died at the Explorers Hotel last Thursday.

His family had gone to France to celebrate Colum’s birthday and that of his twin brother Kieran on Boxing Day.

He was buried following Requiem Mass at St Mary's Church in Creggan.

His grieving family urged the media to stay away from the funeral, but in a statement issued on Christmas Day they said: “Colum was just a typical wee boy who was so happy, so loving and so full of energy.

“Questions must be asked about the safety measures in place at a hotel which is supposed to cater for children.

“Colum’s life must not be in vain and we would hope that lessons will be learned from our son’s death that will save lives in the future.

“We fought all our lives for Colum, we are not going to stop now.”