A happy little boy is dying after his 'tummy bug' was confirmed as cancer.
Lochlan Peckham only has limited time left with his family following the earth shattering diagnosis.
The six-year-old fell ill less than a month ago, with what his parents presumed was a stomach bug.
They kept the youngster off school, but there was nothing to suggest anything out of the ordinary.
But when he began complaining of unusual symptoms including prickling in his fingertips, parents Sonia, 43, and Ross, 40, took him to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
An MRI scan was carried out and, within an hour, the little boy was on his way to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, reports Teesside Live.
The resulting diagnosis sent Sonia and Ross's world crashing down around them. Their lovely little boy had a cancerous tumour on his brain.
And last Wednesday, after an operation to remove some of the high grade glioma, doctors broke the shattering news that they would not be able to save his life.
Family friend Dave Thomas from Marske said the devastating news has affected the whole community and sparked a determination to help the little boy and and his family in any way they can.
"We all want to show Lochlan, his mum and dad, Sonia and Ross, and his younger sister, Faith, how well-loved they are," Dave, 38, said.
"There is a real close-knit community in Marske, particularly within Westgarth School, and people have been falling over themselves to help raise money where they can.
"He's just one of the happiest, most fun-loving little boys you could meet. He's one of the school's biggest chatterboxes and he loves singing and is always laughing."
Lochlan is currently at home with his parents and five-year-old Faith and the brave little lad has insisted on going into school to see his pals.
He will undergo radiotherapy over the summer.
Friends say Sonia and Ross are treasuring every hug and kiss with their little boy. And with the help of the community, they are determined to make Lochlan's life as beautiful as they can.
A fundraising page for Lochlan and his family has already made £6,500 in donations.
Ideas are being planned and potential trips for the family include Lapland at Christmas, Disney and the Harry Potter studios.
"We want to give them the opportunity to create lots of happy memories with Lochlan during the precious time they have, and help make some of his dreams come true," said Dave, whose two children attend the same school as Lochlan and Faith.
"By raising as much money as we can we can hopefully take some of the financial burden away from the family at this devastating time.
"We've seen that Lochlan's story has already touched a number of people and if there are any local businesses, charities and individuals that want to get in touch with support, advice or ideas for any further fundraising activities it would be great to hear for them."
• Donations can also be made here.
