BRAVE youngster John Mark Riding is celebrating his sixth birthday today -- two months before the actual date.

The former Lancashire Evening Telegraph Baby of the Year, who used to live in Beech Grove, Darwen, has been given just weeks to live after doctors decided against any further surgery on a brain tumour.

Parents John Riding and Jacqueline Sanderson are holding a party for the youngster today at a local pub close to the Cornwall home he shares with his mum.

The family are also planning an early Christmas on Thursday, complete with tree, decorations and presents.

John Mark was diagnosed with a tumour last October. With cash raised by Telegraph readers he was sent to top Australian surgeon Dr Charles Teo for a nine-hour operation. When it was discovered his tumour had spread, he was flown back to Sydney to see Dr Teo.

Last week his parents were given the devastating news that nothing more can be done for their son and he was flown home.

Danny Vose, co-ordinator for the John Mark Riding Appeal, said: "Despite all efforts and optimism, it is inevitable that John Mark is dying and has only a matter of weeks left to live.

"His parents have had to accept the inevitable and make the agonising but brave decision that they will not allow him to suffer or be harmed.

"They are going to allow John to peacefully slip away naturally without artificial means of life support that would simply keep him alive in a comatose state for extra days or weeks."

Danny added that future donations that continue to come in will now go directly to the family. No more donations towards medical costs are required and the family thanked everyone who had pledged cash.

He said: "They will be used to give John Mark whatever pleasure he can have in the short time he has left, and to ease the financial burden on his family both immediately and the inevitable practical costs that will be incurred very soon.

"On behalf of the John Riding Appeal it is appropriate that I must make it absolutely clear that any donations from this point onwards are to be passed on to John's family direct.

"The appeal requires no further funds for medical expenses. Donations will be purely a personal donation from the public to the family.

"How they decide to allocate this money will be their personal choice and priorities. Donations will still be accepted on their behalf, at the Penventon Hotel, in Redruth, by cash or cheque but will no longer be deposited in the official fund."