[image alt="STAR" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/05/star-21-296x233.jpg" width="296" height="233" credit-source="Andrew%20Price%2FPA%20Wire%2FPA%20Images" caption="Messages%20outside%20Everton's%20Goodison%20Park%20as%20the%20funeral%20cortege%20of%20Alfie%20Evans%20passed%20by%20today.%20" class="aligncenter" /end]

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE took to the streets of Liverpool today to mourn 23-month-old Alfie Evans, who died last month following a highly-charged battle between a hospital and his parents.

Members of the public broke into applause as the funeral cortege passed Everton Football Club’s Goodison Park stadium, on its way to a private burial nearby.

People placed flowers on the hearse, which carried floral tributes reading ‘Warrior’, ‘Our Hero’ and ‘Son’.

Alfie died on 28 April after doctors at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital withdrew life support, following a long legal battle and a campaign by his parents that drew support from Pope Francis.

Kate James and Alfie Evans had fought to take their son, who had a degenerative condition that caused irreversible brain damage, to a clinic in Rome but lost their court battle.

Alfie was born on 9 May 2016, and was first taken to hospital in December of that year after suffering from seizures. His condition worsened and in December 2017 the hospital recommended withdrawing life support.

[image alt="Alfie Evans funeral" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2018/05/alfie-evans-funeral-296x167.jpg" width="296" height="167" credit-source="Andrew%20Price%2FPA%20Wire%2FPA%20Images" caption="The%20funeral%20cortege%20of%20Alfie%20Evans%20outside%20Everton's%20Goodison%20Park%20today.%20" class="aligncenter" /end]

His parents disagreed and the two sides went to court, sparking a battle that made international headlines.

The case was the latest in a series of high-profile clashes between parents of seriously ill children and British authorities.

Another recent example was that of Charlie Gard, who was born in August 2016 with a rare form of mitochondrial disease. He died last year, one week short of his first birthday, after doctors withdrew life support treatment.

Gard’s parents fought a five-month legal battle for him to be taken to the United States for experimental treatment.

- © AFP 2018 , with reporting by Órla Ryan