CANCER battler Madison Allan has been bought a longed-for pet dog after news cancer has spread to her skull.

Three-month-old mini schnauzer and bichon frize cross Oscar, has been with the family for a week and is already keeping the seven-year-old busy.

Madison’s mum Samantha Allan of Lord’s Crescent, Lower Darwen, said: “She’s wanted one for so long and we’ve been putting it off and off, but now with the news about her head, I decided we shouldn’t put it off any longer.

”She likes him but she’s a bit wary at the moment because he likes nibbling everything.”

Madison, who attends Lower Darwen Primary School, has suffered from an aggressive “spaghetti-like” tumour called neuroblastoma since she was just 10-months-old.

The cancer began in her stomach but has now spread to the bones in her chest, between her neck and shoulder, her pelvis and spine and now her skull.

Samantha added: “Madison is having to have blood tests at the moment on her platelets, and once that’s over, she’ll be able to walk Oscar.

“Then she goes for a scan in January to see what the best treatment is for her now.

“She’s been complaining of a few headaches recently, but we don’t know what that means.

"We don’t know if they’re normal headaches that everybody gets or if it’s the tumour.”

Madison’s is receiving trial chemotherapy treatment from a hospital in Germany, paid for by donations to The Madison Allan Appeal.

Some of Madison’s treatment is administered by doctors at Manchester Children’s Hospital, under direction from German specialists.

On December 8, Madison, if she is well enough, will go on a day-long trip to see Father Christmas in Lapland with other young patients in Manchester.

Samantha added: “It will be a long day, but it will be nice for her to be able to go while she’s well.

“We want to have a really good Christmas because we don’t know what next year will hold.”

Donations to the Madison Allan Appeal are over £100,000, but another £150,000 could be required.