With giant Mickey Mouse ears and the words “Little dude, big fight”, it is a larger than life tribute to a young boy whose life was cut short by an aggressive form of cancer.

Over two days, graffiti artist Scott Vincent from Brighton spray-painted the 30ft memorial to Leon Bartholomew.

The two-year-old had suffered undifferentiated sarcoma, a rare form of the disease causing tumours to form on his lungs and brain.

His death devastated his family, but were pleased when mural artist Mr Vincent, of AVK Photography, offered to create a fitting tribute to Leon for them.

Father Daniel Bartholomew, 25, said: “We gave the artist a photograph of Leon and he has managed to recreate the perfect picture of our son.

“It only took Scott two days to spray and I couldn’t believe how accurate it was, as he just used a photo we gave him.

“He wanted to create something light-hearted and fun and decided to spray it as a cartoon. I think it’s perfect.

"Leon loved cartoons. We love the wall and I can’t thank Scott enough. People still go down to the skatepark every day to pay their respects.”

Flowers, messages and candles now lie at the foot of the wall in a skatepark in his home town of New Milton, Hampshire.

The former warehouse worker, who had to quit his job when Leon fell ill, said: “The whole family was warmed when we saw the wall for the first time.

“But the wall is a great way to remember our son and people have treated it with respect – it’s just like a shrine. The response from the public has been amazing.”

In February, Leon was taken to hospital after suffering a seizure. He was stabilised and recovered well.

But a CT scan revealed five tumours in his brain and he died on March 22.

Leon’s mother, Rowena Hyett, 25, set up a Just Giving website which has raised more than £1,000 for children’s can- cer charity CLIC Sargent.

  • To donate visit justgiving.com/leonbartholomew