Ref. 29646-05Brave Joshua Pedder-Jones has been given the all-clear eight months after he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal brain tumour.

Now the bright, bubbly nine-year-old, from Eldene, is looking forward to playing with his friends outside.

He said: "I'm really pleased.

"It means I don't have to go back to hospital for a while and can play with my mates more."

Yesterday, Joshua's parents Dave, 39, and Karen, 36, travelled to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, to find out the results of his brain scan.

The scan showed that the six-week course of radiotherapy to get rid of the tumour had been successful and he was given the all-clear.

It marked the end to months of anxious waiting.

His father, Dave, 39, said: "This is fantastic news. We are so relieved.

"This is the first time in almost a year we can relax a bit more."

Had the scan, taken a fortnight ago, revealed a problem, doctors warned they would not be able to operate.

Mr Pedder-Jones said: "Doctors were hopeful not to find anything wrong.

"If there was, it would have been extremely serious. Thankfully it hasn't come to that and we're all over the moon."

Joshua's ordeal began last August when he woke up one night feeling violently ill.

He was examined by an on-call doctor, who said Joshua had swelling in his head which could be a brain tumour.

Within hours he was taken to Swindon's Great Western Hospital, where scans confirmed the worst.

He was then rushed to the Radcliffe Infirmary, in Oxford, and underwent a nine-hour operation to remove a tumour at the base of his brain.

The operation lasted twice as long as expected because the tumour was so large.

After two days on a life support machine, Joshua regained consciousness.

He was allowed home a fortnight later but had to undergo a six-week course of radiotherapy, at the Churchill Hospital, in Oxford,which caused him to lose some of his hair.

Mr Pedder-Jones said: "He has been through so much, but keeps bouncing back."

Last November, Joshua received a special bravery award at the annual Swindon Youth Awards.

Although the Eldene Primary School pupil will not return to school full-time until September, he has already started going back for half-days.

Joshua still gets tired after walking long distances but nothing will stop him playing outside with his friends.

Mr Pedder-Jones said: "He is a very determined boy and has continued seeing his friends, despite being ill.

"We are now planning a summer holiday in Cornwall."

Joshua's mother, Karen, 36, and sisters, Georgina, 12, Joanna, 10, and Molly, five, are thrilled and the family celebrated last night with a pub meal.

Victoria Tagg