A teenager was given a devastating cancer diagnosis after suffering ear infections. Connor Ellerton was taken to A&E following a call to his parents from his worried headteacher.
His mum noticed he was a "yellowy-grey" colour and blood tests were carried out. After the second test was taken, they went off for a sandwich.
On their return, they received the news which shattered them to the core. He was suffering leukaemia and would have to undergo gruelling chemotherapy.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Connor had previously suffered with a number of ear infections. But GPs didn't think the problem was anything serious and prescribed him with antibiotics.
But in 2019, when Connor was training with his school rugby team, the headteacher rang mum Joanne. They asked Joanne and dad Ian to come and collect him.
Shop assistant Joanne, 50, said: "We decided we needed to take him to A&E because something wasn't right. The doctor at the hospital said she thought he had a perforated ear drum.
"She took bloods but she wasn't happy with the results. He didn't look right, he was like a yellowy-grey colour. She then took another set of bloods so we went for a sandwich and came back to be told he had leukaemia."
Despite his illness, the 14-year-old, from Birkdale in Merseyside, secured nine As and Bs in his GCSEs, while undergoing three years of chemotherapy. And he managed to beat the cruel disease.
Now 17, he returned to the rugby pitch just one week after finishing his treatment. James Cook, the Southport RFC's under-18s coach, asked him to play the last ten minutes.
Little did the teen know that James had arranged for the game to be halted and a guard of honour was given to the cancer survivor. Holding back the tears, Joanne said: "James arranged a tunnel to clap him onto the pitch. It was amazing. None of us knew it was going to happen."
