THE PARENTS of young cancer victim Joshua Westwell say he has been given a new lease of life now that he's in remission.

The five-year-old is was struck down with cancer for a third time.

But today his delighted mum and dad Karen, 25, and Paul, 27, of Lee Road, Bacup, say they believe the birth of Joshua's baby brother, Lewis, has helped speed up his recovery.

Karen said: "Joshua is a picture of health and since Lewis was born he has come on leaps and bounds. He's getting better every day which is just fantastic."

Joshua's parents decided to give gruelling chemotherapy one last chance. He then had an operation to remove a tumour from his lungs.

After Karen discovered she was pregnant Joshua revealed it would be his dream to have a brother to play football.

A few months later his mum gave birth to Lewis and just four weeks after that Joshua was given the all clear.

The Holy Trinity Primary School pupil now attends monthly check ups at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury and will remain in remission for the next five years.

But it was when Joshua was just 18 months old that doctors diagnosed first liver cancer which was also found in his lungs. Joshua had chemotherapy and on his second Birthday the liver tumour was removed and given the all-clear.

But in January 2003, the cancer returned in his lungs. He was given treatment before again getting the all-clear.

It was a year later that blood tests revealed it had returned for a third time. His parents were told it was likely to be terminal.

But the young battler defied the odds.

Karen, a housewife, added: "It would be a dream come true for Joshua never to be ill again. He's at school full time and hasn't had any time off. He loves being with the other children.