A COURAGEOUS child cancer survivor from the Ribble Valley is the face of a major new charity drive.

Declan Tattersall, eight, from Grindleton, near Clitheroe, appears on a 59ft billboard that was unveiled near Manchester Piccadilly train station yesterday.

The poster will also be displayed across hundreds of sites in the North West as Cancer Research UK launches its Behind Every Success Story initiative.

And his proud mum Lea Tattersall, 29, said she could not wait to see her son’s face “staring back at her” when she goes Christmas shopping.

When Declan was 18 months old, doctors thought he had teething pains, but scans revealed he was suffering from astrocytoma – a cancerous tumour on his spine.

This then spread and Declan needed intensive chemotherapy for 15 months.

But he battled back to health and four years on, the loyal Blackburn Rovers fan is “happy and healthy” and enjoying life.

Lea said: “It was devastating to find out that Declan had cancer.

“But, we managed to stay strong for his sake and he has been fantastic.

“We are all so proud of him.

“It will be lovely to see his face almost everywhere when we are out and about.”

At the launch, Declan had the chance to meet Professor Vaskar Saha, head of Cancer Research UK’s children’s cancer group, to say thank you for the treatment he had.

Declan said: “I’m glad I don’t have to go to hospital all the time any more.

“I think the doctors who made me better are really great.”

“It’s really cool that people will see my picture all over the place.

“I loved having my photo taken.”

The poster has made Declan a mini celebrity with classmates at St Michael and St John’s R C Primary school in Clitheroe.

Headteacher Vincent Murray said the pupils in school were proud of him.

He said: “Declan has always been a cheerful, popular and lovely little boy. He has been really brave.

“We can’t wait to see the billboards.”