A DECISION not to give a three-year-old boy access to a potentially life saving and groundbreaking medical trial has been slammed as 'political nonsense'.

Little Oliver Welch from Blackburn was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer known as neuroblastoma.

His parents said doctors told them their son had missed out on an immunotherapy trial by just two weeks, after his diagnosis missed the deadline.

Taking to the Lancashire Telegraph website readers said doctors should have ignored the 'political nonsense' and made the right moral decision.

Badfinger72 said: "It's political nonsense being applied to what should be a moral decision. These medical bodies are run like sweatshops instead of a humane body."

Sue1239 said: “The drugs for immunotherapy are tried and tested and proven to work in the USA for neuroblastoma.

"The word trial is misleading, it is just the NHS who will not fund this treatment. There are many side effects to this treatment but it will help a three-year-old boy to live.”

But speaking in defence of the NHS, Aidan Abett, said: “The USA still uses Europeans as its guinea-pigs and nothing gets past the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unless it’s got a long track record of success in Europe.

"With the experience of Thalidomide still fresh in memories, no drug is released without extensive testing and will still be monitored for a year after going to market.”

Little Oliver is over half way through his eight scheduled chemotherapy treatments to try and combat the tumours in his lungs, kidney and liver.

His family said the immunotherapy would have been a crucial part of treating his cancer as it would boost his natural defences.

But the only way Oliver can have the potential lifesaving treatment that is not available on the NHS would be to foot the bill themselves.

Oliver’s father Adam Welch said: “The response from people so far has been fantastic, we have been overwhelmed with the support and generous donations we have received and are very thankful for this."

Since his diagnosis, Oliver’s family and friend have been working hard to raise the estimated £200,000 required to treat the rare form of cancer and have raised over £6,000 on Justgiving.

Mr Welch said: “We still have a long way to go so we hope that people will continue to follow Olivers journey and support us at upcoming events.

There will be two events this weekend, on Saturday, Old Blackburnians will host an Old'en Day Carnival between 11am and 5pm.

The day promises to be fun for all the family, with a bouncy castle, dog show, and carnival games. There will also be a BBQ, homemade cakes and ice cream.

On Sunday, Westholme School will host a five-a-side football tournament.

Anyone is welcome to come along and play or watch, there will be music, food and refreshments

To register a team to take part in the five-a-side football tournament contact oliversneuroblastomaappeal@outlook.com.