Cancer sufferer Charlie Jarvis was today to have a bone marrow scan, which will show whether the disease has spread through her body.

The scan was originally planned to take place yesterday but had to be postponed because of the unavailability of radioactive equipment at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

Charlie, four, and her family were travelling to the Hospital in Oxford at 8am where radioactive fluid will be introduced to her body.

Charlie's father Paul said: "We weren't very happy when we got there yesterday and found out we had had a wasted trip. The fluid enters Charlie's body via a line through an open valve in the back of her hand and then four hours later she will have the scan.

"We delayed this process from last month because it is quite painful and she hates having needles put in her too often.

"It is an exploratory process to see what is happening."

Charlie's family expect to hear the scan results on Friday.

Charlie, from Coln Crescent, Greenmeadow, has already been to Houston in Texas for treatment that may slow the spread of the cancer. Depending on the scan, she may have to go again.

Her rare condition is a cancer of specialised nerve cells called neural crest cells that are involved in the development of the nervous system.

People from Swindon have given much needed support to Charlie, and the appeal to help fund the costly treatment has amassed more than £75,000.