BRAVE teenager Will Henderson is using his mum's death to help others bereaved at a young age.

The Cinderford 18-year-old, set up a website in memory of mum Michelle, 51, who died from cancer when he was just 16 years of age.

And as the second anniversary of her death approaches on the Friday before Mother's Day, Will is hoping to expand ourmichelle to help other young people in the same situation.

Already Alyx Dearing, 15, from Cinderford has used the site to tell the moving story of how her mother's death from cancer had a major impact on her life.

Now Will is hoping many more follow Alyx and use the site to tell their personal stories.

"At first it was part of the grieving thing," said Will. "I was devastated when my mum died and thought if I could get my feelings down it would help.

"I told people about my experiences, such as visiting the chapel of rest and the first Christmas without her.

"Loads of people all around the UK contacted me and I invited other people to put their stories on the website."

Will said he was surprised when Alyx contacted him.

"She turned out to live two minutes up the road and we even went to the same school," he said.

"But even though we live so close it took the website to bring us together. Now we talk about our mums. It's nice to talk to somebody in the same position because they understand what it was like."

Will moved to the Forest seven years ago after mum Michelle met partner John Mora.

Just three years later she was diagnosed with cancer and died just over two years afterwards on March 16 2010.

After her death the former Dene Magna and RFDC student decided to stay in the Forest with his stepfather John and he says his girlfriend Rosie has been his rock.

He now works in Sainsbury's in Ross-on-Wye but hopes to get a job in IT.

"My mum was so great," he said. "Even when she was on her deathbed she was worrying about me and telling me to get some sleep because I had a bad cold.

"I was devastated but I had a lot of support from family and friends. Everybody has to cope in their own way. My way was writing about it and I think that's something that can help other people too."

Alyx agrees and she has told the story of how she has struggled since her mum died in January 2010 when she was just 13 years old.