LITTLE fighter Macauley Gilbert has gone back to school four months after his family died in a car crash.

The eight-year-old was welcomed back to Bede Burn Primary School, in Jarrow, South Tyneside, this week for the new term.

He joined his classmates for his first formal lessons since the car crash on March 3 claimed the lives of his mother, Paula Gilbert, 29, her fiance, Neil Jex, 37, and his two younger brothers, Tristan, three, and Kaiden, seven months.

Macauley's grandparents, Don and Mary Gilbert, now care for him at their home on the Lukes Lanes estate, in Hebburn.

Mr Gilbert, 57, said: "The summer has been a long hard slog, but we have all pulled together, helping each other out to support Macauley.

"Finally, the day has arrived for him to return to school.

"He had been telling us he was not going in his own little way.

"But it is good for him to get back into the routine."

Noreen Reid, headteacher of Bede Burn school, in Dene Terrace, said: "It is the first day of the academic year and we welcomed Macauley back in the same way as all the other children.

"He has had a difficult time so now it is a priority for us to make him feel part of this school again."

The family were travelling to Blackburn, when their Citroen Saxo was involved in a collision with a van on the A1 near Catterick, North Yorkshire. The car left the road and crashed into a tree, killing Miss Gilbert, Mr Jex and Tristan and Kaiden instantly. Macauley broke his legs and an arm.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance crews, who airlifted Macauley to hospital, called him "miracle boy" and set up a Miracle Fund which raised more than £40,000.

* Scott Easton, 22, from Stockton, faces four charges of causing death by dangerous driving.