What do Yellow ribbons on trees mean?

Yellow ribbons have gone up all over Burntwood, Staffordshire

Yellow ribbons are appearing around the home town of Stephen Sutton, the teenager who raised millions for charity while dying of cancer.

Amanda Mayling from Burntwood, Staffordshire, came up with the idea and promoted it on social media.

She said she felt inspired to do something in his memory after meeting him at fundraising events.

A public vigil for Stephen will begin at Lichfield Cathedral on 29 May, before a private funeral the next day.

Ms Mayling explained that she chose the colour yellow because of its association with summer, Stephen's favourite season.

She said: "I just thought yellow for sunshine and that is where it started."

The yellow ribbons can be seen on homes, trees, lampposts and shops

The ribbons have spread beyond Burntwood to other towns in Staffordshire and even reached Australia.

Ms Mayling said: "I was surprised by how quickly it spread, but I wasn't surprised people got onboard because he's touched so many people."

'Sea of yellow'

BBC WM reporter Michelle Dawes drove through the town and said: "The ribbons began to appear on every lamppost you went past, corners of roads, they were wrapped around trees and on the front of shops and on private houses.

"It is literally every single house and every single streetlight."

Stephen's mother, Jane Sutton, wrote on his Facebook page that Lichfield had also become a "sea of yellow" ahead of the public vigil. She said: "The continued love and support for Stephen is wonderful and a great comfort."

She told people who plan to attend the vigil they don't have to wear black as Stephen wanted to "put the fun in funeral."