BATTLING youngster John Mark Riding has been given just weeks to live by doctors.

The former Lancashire Evening Telegraph Baby of the Year is currently in Australia where it was hoped he would undergo life-saving surgery on a brain tumour.

But the specialist surgeon, who operated on John Mark in May, said the risk was too great.

The five-year-old is due to fly back to England this weekend with parents John Riding and Jacqueline Sanderson.

John Mark, who is formerly of Beech Grove, Darwen, and who now lives in Cornwall with his mum, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last October and initially given three months to live. Telegraph readers helped raise cash to send him to surgeon Dr Charles Teo, in Sydney, for a nine-hour operation in May.

On his return the youngster, contracted meningitis and slipped into a coma.

Last month doctors discovered that the tumour had spread leading to the need for another operation and he was sent back to Australia.

But further investigation revealed it had crept into the brain making the operation potentially fatal and it was decided not to go ahead.

Danny Vose, co-ordinator for the John Mark Riding Appeal, said: "I spoke to John and Jacqueline from Australia and they are devastated."

Danny said the family wanted to pay tribute to all the organisations who had helped raise funds for John Mark. East Lancashire folk rallied round to raise thousands of pounds.