A YOUNG Bolton leukaemia sufferer was allowed out of the cancer ward where he has lived for the last six months to present a cheque to the nurses caring for him.

Andrew Toner, aged 19, left Manchester Royal Infimary to join friends and family at Bradford Ward Conservative Club to hand over £600 to buy new equipment for ward 27.

The money was raised in December when people dressed as pop stars at a fund-raising night and managed to raise £1,100.

Bo Jangles nursery in Bolton chipped in £300 of that total and £500 of the money went towards buying Andrew a computer to keep in touch with his friends.

Andrew has just finished an intensive course of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma, an aggressive cancer which affects just 300 people a year worldwide.

His constant jokes and laughter have helped him and his parents, Anna and James, of Bradford Park Drive, The Haulgh, and his five brothers and sisters adjust to his life on ward 27.

But Andrew, who is now in remission, was not always so confident he would recover. Wise words from a lady who overcame leukaemia gave Andrew the determination to pull through and he has never looked back.

Mum Anna, aged 52, said: "He's a bubbly lad who keeps them all going on the ward. When he's quiet, you know he's really ill.

"He didn't always think he was going to get through this but, once he got over that, he started to cheer other patients up and even the staff. "When he was allowed home for a day, we went to the supermarket. Although bald because of the treatment, he was asking people where he could find the hair gel!"

Sister Natalie, aged 21, said: "Even though he was very poorly himself, he still wants to see other people smile. He wants to cheer other people up so he can forget about himself."

Andrew started to feel unwell in August and, the following month, suffered extreme tiredness, sleeping through a whole weekend.

In the meantime, his eye, which had been swollen, was getting bigger and he got a lump in his neck. He was also having regular nosebleeds.

When Natalie saw how poorly he was, she called an ambulance and before long he was in ward 27.

His mum and dad flew back from a holiday in Tenerife when the family received the news that Andrew, a former Thornleigh pupil, had cancer.

Mrs Toner said: "He was very poorly and was kept in isolation while he had intensive chemotherapy.

"His hair fell out straight away and we had to wear plastic gowns and gloves to see him. I couldn't even give him a kiss. I never thought we would see another Christmas with Andrew."

Andrew, who worked as a packer before his illness, will now have three weeks of radiotherapy before he will be allowed home.

Sister Natalie said: "His friends have been really good to him.

"Most have not been able to see him but when his hair fell out they all shaved their heads, as well as my dad.

"We wanted to raise money for the ward because patients have to share equipment."

CASH HELP: Andrew Toner, third left, at the presentation with Sister Jaine Curley, left, and Sister Julie Maddran of Manchester Royal Infirmary holding the cheque, and back row, from left, his sister Natalie and fund-raising night organisers George and Lesley Marshall