VILLAGERS rallied round when a young pupil suffering from leukaemia took a turn for the worse.

Ethan Purvis appeared to be through the worst of a three-year programme of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he came home from school complaining of stomach pains, in June.

Worried parents Victoria and John took their five-year-old son to the children's cancer unit, at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), where Ethan had undergone lengthy treatment since he was diagnosed with leukaemia in November 2005.

Tests were carried out to try to determine the cause of the pains, but Ethan's condition deteriorated as his temperature rose and he found breathing difficult.

It was eventually discovered he was suffering from chicken pox, which was affecting him internally, threatening his major organs.

As his condition worsened, he was sedated and taken into intensive care at Newcastle General Hospital.

Mrs Purvis said the next 48 hours were crucial, but Ethan gradually came through the worst of the illness, and his breathing slowly improved.

Two weeks later, he was transferred from intensive care back to the RVI.

Ethan spent 71 days in hospital during the summer. He returned home to Coxhoe a month ago, and was able to go back to the village primary school at the start of term.

Headteacher John Brennan said such was the concern for Ethan that, for the first time, the year six pupils' end-of-term activities were devoted to raising funds for the RVI.

Backed by the Friends of Coxhoe School, who ran a raffle and sold programmes, £530 was raised from the school leavers' play and fun day.

Ethan and his mother were presented with the cheque by Mr Brennan and last term's year six teacher, now retired, Teresa Harrison, who returned to the school for the presentation.

Mrs Purvis said: "We're so grateful. Everyone at the school has been marvellous, sending Ethan a get well card and teachers even visited him in hospital.

"The whole village seems to have rallied round, with businesses donating raffle prizes.

"I'm not from Coxhoe originally, but I'm amazed how everyone does seem to care."

The family is planning to pass over the cheque to the RVI on their next visit to monitor Ethan's improvement in coming weeks.