A TODDLER who has bravely battled a large tumour for 14 months celebrated her second birthday - a day it was feared she would never see.

And little Madison Allan, of Lord's Crescent, Lower Darwen, was given a special birthday bash to celebrate with a host of celebrities, including soap stars and singers.

The party, at Whitehall Country Club, Darwen, was to raise funds for a £1million cancer scanner for The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where Madison was treated.

Madison was diagnosed with a large tumour when she was just 10 months old and doctors could not say whether she would survive.

Her family said her second birthday on Saturday was just a distant dream this time last year when the tumour was at its worst.

A biopsy discovered that the tumour was near to her back and wrapped around the nerves which meant it was too dangerous to be operated on.

The nature of the tumour, called a Neuroblastoma, meant her skin turned yellow, she lost a lot of weight and at one point she contracted pneumonia.

But earlier this year, after chemotherapy and a six-week stint in hospital, the family received the good news that the tumour had started to shrink.

Mum, Samantha, 30, said: "At Madison's worst she had lost a lot of weight and was on morphine and the strongest painkillers available.

"It was really awful. She couldn't breathe because her tumour was so big.

"At one point it looked like she was pregnant with triplets. We didn't know if she would survive."

Samantha paid tribute to her daughter's bravery.

She said: "It is such a relief that she is finally getting better.

"I was delighted earlier this month when Madison had the scan which showed the tumour had shrunk considerably.

"The hospital don't want to see her until March next year.

"You would never know she had been so ill. But she knows. She does love to show off her scar.

"She has been so brave. She's so clever. And so happy now. We are so proud of her."

And Samantha urged people to back the Five Star Scanner Appeal which aims to improve treatment at the Salford hospital.

The current scanner used to diagnose and monitor patients, is coming to the end of its life and it must be replaced.

The new machine will also be faster and quieter which the hospital says is better suited to working with very young children.

Samantha added: "This appeal is literally a life saver.

"Parents never think anything bad will happen to our children, but when it does to know that there is equipment like the children's scanner is reassuring and vital in the prompt diagnosis of tumours and cancer in children.

"The earlier the tumours can be discovered the better chance there is that more children will be treated, like Madison, and continue to celebrate their birthdays looking as happy as Madison does. She has never looked so healthy."