The family of a little boy who beat a brain tumour but now has a rare form of leukaemia are pleading with people from his home town to join the bone marrow register.

Only seven per cent of the population in and around Burnham who could be eligible to donate blood stem cells have signed up to the British Bone Marrow Registry or the Anthony Nolan blood cancer and bone marrow charity’s own register.

Laughlin Whiteley, six, of Mildmay Road, Burnham, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia three weeks ago.

He will need to spend Christmas in Great Ormond Street Hospital undergoing chemotherapy ahead of a bone marrow transplant.

Visit www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow and www.anthonynolan.org for information.