MORE than £2,500 has now been raised for the fund to help four-year-old John Mark Riding travel to America for pioneering drug treatment which could save his life.

The latest boost came when Blackburn woman Lillian Foulds had a close shave and raised around £200.

A former Lancashire Evening Telegraph Baby of the Year, John was last month diagnosed with a rare brain stem glioma, a tumour which doctors in Britain say is only treatable with radiotherapy.

He started his six-week course at Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, on Monday. His father John Riding, who lives in Blackburn, and his mother Jacqueline Sanderson, are at his bedside. His family want to raise £100,000 to take him to the New York Children's Hospital for pioneering drug treatment, if he is well enough in January.

Around half the money in the John Mark Riding Fund have been raised by Blackburn people, while the rest has been raised by friends and family of John in Cornwall, where he now lives, after moving from Darwen.

His sister Kerry Riding, from Audley, said he was settling into his treatment well. "He is alright really," she said. "He is a brave little boy and he is soldiering on through it."

Lillian, who had her head shaved by colleague Anthony Whittaker at Rosenburgers in Walker Road, Blackburn, said: "I know John Mark's dad, John, and I met John Mark when he was a baby.

"I just wanted to do whatever I could to help. More money is coming in all the time, so I'm not sure how much, but it will be over £200."

The funds will get another boost when supporters set off on a four-day sponsored bike ride to Land's End, starting from Ewood Park at around 10am on Saturday .

There will also be a collection on the morning for the fund and one at the Accrington Stanley ground the same day.

The ride has been made possible with the help of donations of tents and survival supplies from the Territorial Army and a van from Intack Self Drive.

Kerry said she wanted to thank everyone who had supported the fund, including staff and customers at The Moorings, who have raised funds and will be holding a charity night soon.