THE family of a boy with a brain tumour are seeking to raise awareness after he took nine months to be diagnosed.

Shaun Colvin, six, from Wareham, began to show signs of anxiety soon after starting school, but initially this was dismissed as a more minor condition.

His mother Alison said: “He was diagnosed with hyper mobility and given physiotherapy, but he began to deteriorate.

"After nine months of appointments and telephone calls, we eventually got an appointment with the community paediatrician.

"On June 10, 2015, Shaun had an MRI scan which confirmed suspicions. Shaun had a huge amount of fluid on his brain and we had to make the trip that evening to Southampton hospital. During the night we were told the devastating news that he had a brain tumour, aged just four."

She said she was proud of how her son had reacted to the news, joining his family in fundraising for the Brain Tumour Charity.

"Our darling beautiful, kind little boy remained cheerful throughout the whole ordeal and made us so very proud. The saying that 'heroes come in all forms' couldn’t have been more applicable.

"But having to wait for nine months for the correct diagnosis is not good enough. This has to change."

Shaun’s family are now calling for more awareness of the symptoms of brain tumours and are supporting the Brain Tumour Charity’s HeadSmart campaign.

This seeks to reduce average diagnosis time in order to save lives and minimise long-term damage from the disease.

The charity claims that since June 2011 the campaign has reduced the time it takes on average to diagnose a childhood brain tumour in the UK from more than 13 weeks to less than seven.

The aim is to reduce the diagnosis time to 4 weeks in line with NHS cancer targets.

Campaign manager Hayley Epps said: "We are so pleased for Shaun, he is truly remarkable and he and his family have been inspirational throughout this devastating experience.

"Symptoms of a brain tumour are often difficult to diagnose early because of their similarity to other common ailments.

"Due to the importance of early diagnosis for the treatment of brain tumours, researchers are trying to develop new and improved ways of diagnosing brain tumours early.

"We are committed to making the greatest possible impact on the lives of everyone affected by this disease, to defending the most amazing part of the human body, and together defeating brain tumours."

Shaun’s family and friends have raised more than £5,000 for the charity so far. Visit justgiving.com/simon-colvin3 to see what they are up to.

For more information visit thebraintumourcharity.org.