British boy of 7 among Barcelona dead

Julian Cadman's family pay tribute to 'energetic, funny and cheeky boy'

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(Image credit: 2017 Getty Images)

A seven-year-old British boy, Julian Cadman, has been named as one of the 13 people killed when a van ploughed into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona on Thursday.

Julian's mother Jumarie, known as Jom, was injured in the attack and is in a serious but stable condition in a hospital in the city. His father and grandmother have arrived in Spain from their homes in Australia.

Julian's family said in a statement they would "remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts".

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"As he was enjoying the sights of Barcelona with his mother, Julian was sadly taken from us," they said. "He was so energetic, funny and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces."

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted his sympathies to the Cadman family.

Earlier, grandfather Tony Cadman had asked the public for help finding Julian.

According to the Daily Mail, Jom and Julian Cadman, who has joint British and Australian citizenship, were in Barcelona for a family wedding.

Gas canisters

According to Spanish police, the terror cell behind the attack had planned a far deadlier outrage: they had amassed a collection of 120 camping gas canisters which they intended to use in vehicle attacks.

Some reports claim two members of the group accidentally killed themselves in a large explosion in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday night.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack but the driver of the van is yet to be found.