SHOCKED parents are demanding an investigation into why a hospital doctor failed to diagnose their daughter's cancer and sent her home with painkillers instead.

Six-year-old Dana Carroll now faces months of treatment after her family GP insisted on a second opinion and it was found she had contracted a rare form of bone cancer.

Mr Dave Carroll, who lives with his family in Pilling Street, Walshaw, said: "I just keep thinking, what if our family doctor hadn't been so insistent that Dana was seen again at hospital? We can't thank him enough."

The family's ordeal began when they were on holiday in Malta. Dana slipped down some stairs and banged her arm. Soon after she began complaining of pain in her left arm.

She was taken to Peel Health Centre to see her GP, who immediately sent her to Fairfield General Hospital accident and emergency department with a note. Her parents say that Dana was told to do some exercises and take painkillers.

"Our GP phoned us that evening to check everything was okay. He was annoyed that she hadn't been x-rayed and told us to take her back to hospital," said Mrs Sharon Carroll, who is expecting her third child.

Within three days Dana, who attends Elton CP school, was rushed to Pendlebury children's hospital and then to Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, which has a specialist cancer unit.

Her parents found out the devastating results of the tests this week.

"It is unusual of someone of Dana's age to contract this cancer. We are so thankful our GP knew there was something wrong with her arm, otherwise it could have spread," said Mrs Carroll (32).

"We could have left hospital so easily and have never known she had this cancer, which needs to be treated early."

Mr Carroll (56) said: "I want safeguards putting into place so that what happened to our little girl doesn't happen to anyone else's child.

"Dana should have been seen properly the first time she was sent to hospital. Our GP had even given us a letter to take to the hospital with us. And I want to know what went wrong."

A spokesman for Pennine Acute Hospital Trust, which governs Fairfield General, said that the complaint was being taken "very seriously" and a "review" was taking place.