THE parents of a two-year-old from Ramsgate who is fighting cancer have launched an appeal to raise £80,000 for potentially life-saving treatment abroad.

In December Alfie Gough was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of childhood cancer.

After four months of chemotherapy, bone marrow treatments and more recently radiotherapy, Alfie still has tumours in his jaw and spine and is now receiving palliative care at his home.

His chances of survival are heartbreakingly slim, but his parents Dean and Sarah have launched an appeal to raise the money needed to give him potentially lifesaving "cyberknife" treatment in Turkey.

If that treatment is successful, the couple hope to give him immune therapy in the US, which could cost up to £300,000.

Dean said: "It is such an aggressive form of cancer that as soon as you clear it, it comes back. Hospitals here give up on you when they see it isn't clearing and the NHS won't pay for treatments that they say are unproven.

"But all the while he has got the strength to keep fighting, we will keep trying to get him cured. We will never give up hope and knowing so many people out there are trying so very hard to help us gives us courage, strength and belief."

An appeal has brought about a massive response from people in Ramsgate, and a recent teddy bears' picnic at King George VI Park raised around £700 of the nearly £5,000 raised so far.

His friends and family have also had hundreds of messages of support on the Facebook page they set up to raise awareness of his appeal.

Dean said: "Every second of every day we are fighting to cure our beautiful baby boy of this horrid disease."

Anyone who can help Alfie can donate at his website www.appeal4alfie.com, or take part in one of the many events taking place.