LITTLE fighter John Mark Riding is slowly regaining his strength after an eight-hour operation to remove a brain tumour.

The five-year-old, a former Lancashire Evening Telegraph Baby of the Year, is having daily chemotherapy after the operation in the private Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia, last month.

Although he came through the operation well, he is finding it hard to walk and is weak on his left side.

John was diagnosed with a tumour on his brain stem back in October, which was believed to be inoperable. He was given three months to live.

But eight months later, thanks to fundraising by supporters in East Lancashire and John's new home town of Redruth, Cornwall, he has been through an eight-week course of holistic treatment at a private clinic in Germany and the massive operation by Australian specialist Dr Charles Teo.

His parents, John Riding, who lives in Blackburn, and Jacqueline Sanderson have been at his bedside throughout. Although he has been through major surgery, he has already got recovered his appetite and keen to tuck into sausage and chips and ice cream on family trips. Now his mum and dad are waiting for him to have rehabilitation and physiotherapy so that he can begin a full recovery.

John senior's sister Kerry Riding, 22, of Blackburn, said: "Little John continues to slowly improve since his operation in Australia.

"He has been left with weakness on the left side of his body and presently struggles to walk unaided.

"His face and body also remain swollen, which we are told is a side effect of the amount of steroids he has to take. Those are now being dramatically reduced over the coming weeks and he will eventually be 'weaned' off them."

"There are small but extremely positive signs that John has displayed recently. He was proud to show everyone how he could climb on to the settee now and seat himself. He has regained his mischievous sense of humour and talks much more now.

"What everyone agrees, including the doctors, is that John is a survivor. The very fact that he is still with us today against all odds is testament to that.

"His parents are hoping that, with encouragement and stimulus, John can lead a normal life and that he will now reintegrate with other children."

The family is still fundraising to help pay for John's care and the special physiotherapy he needs. If you would like to help go to www.johnridingappeal.org.uk