Tributes have poured in for an “exceptional” young man from Amersham who died “suddenly and unexpectedly” after suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy for most of his life.

Joshua Langley, 24, more popularly known as Josh, sadly died on February 5, with his loved ones praising him for his strength and desire to “do more” in his community despite his condition.

His mother Jane said in her funeral speech: “Anybody who knows our family well will know that we were fully aware that Joshua had Duchenne muscular dystrophy and that he had a limited life expectancy, but he was treated the same as Ella and Thomas [his siblings].

“We spent our summers in Devon with my family and usually dragged Thomas’ friend Alex along for the ride, but it is a testament to Joshua’s character that he never moaned when the others went sailing or surfing even though he had to spend a lot of time with me.

“I loved the little things that Josh would do and the tremendous amount of thought that went into them like sending flowers, but first finding out what your favourite flower was or, in my case, getting a request read out on the Graham Norton radio show.

“Joshua wasn’t perfect - he had flaws just like all of us, that’s what makes us human - but what he did have was the ability to carry on even after people hurt him deeply and even in the knowledge that his disability would continue to get worse. That’s what made him exceptional.

“Josh loved to learn, he always wanted to know something new. As young child we were on the way to nursery and he wanted to know why the sky is blue and was surprised when I said I didn’t know.

“I had to go home, plug the computer in and dial up the internet having reassured him I would hopefully have an answer by the time he returned.

In her speech, Jane also urged people to lobby their local MP to improve “funding and attitudes” within the NHS, which she said was “no longer fit for purpose”.

Joshua, whose father Robert died when he was just nine-years-old, attended the Chalfont Community College and moved on to Chesham Grammar School to do his A-Levels, with Jane saying he was “bright and articulate, but never arrogant”.

He then went to university, graduating with a degree in politics and going on to do a masters in international relations.

In a proud moment for the family, Joshua also piloted an aircraft over Surrey with his brother Tom and mum in the back, thanks to Michael McGrath and the Muscle Warriors.

Yasmin Khan, a school friend of Joshua’s, praised him for “always wanting to give” back even while he was “dealing with personal challenges” of his condition.

She said: “Josh was always unapologetically himself, and a bit of a rebel – one of my favourite things about him. He spoke his mind, unafraid of questioning authority even when everyone else was at least a foot or two taller than he was sitting in his wheelchair.”

“His passion for discussing weighty issues on how to improve the lives of others fed his great aptitude for politics.”

His brother Tom said Joshua “never let his diagnosis hold him back or prevent him from achieving his potential”, while sister Ella said his “determination to not let his disability slow him down was inspiring”.

They added: “No amount of time can prepare you for the hole his loss has left in our lives.

“We will always remember all the laughs and jokes we shared as well as all the tougher times. Our brother was an incredible man and his memory will remain with us forever.”