THE town’s rugby league community has rallied around a nine-year-old junior player.

Rylands Sharks u9s player Joe McGann was diagnosed with a carcinoid tumour earlier this month.

Since then amateur clubs have been raising funds for the family, who are planning on donating the money to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

Having been in and out of Warrington Hospital with a persistent wheeze since November, the Thelwall Community Junior School pupil had a CT scan at Alder Hey on Wednesday, May 10, with doctors diagnosing the tumour the same day.

Days later on Monday, May 15, Joe had the tumour removed at Great Ormond Street.

His family, who only welcomed baby girl Georgie into the world 13 weeks ago, are now waiting on test results following the operation.

Mum Antonia McGann, from Grappenhall, said: "One minute you're laughing and joking and then the next minute your world is upside down - you don't expect it to happen to you or your child.

"People put the NHS down but the care that he's received from Alder Hey and Great Ormond Street was out of this world.

"Alder Hey said that they see one case like this every five years and that they normally appear in older smokers - they're very rare in children."

Following the news of Joe's diagnosis, clubs including Rylands, Woolston Rovers, Crosfields and Culcheth Eagles have been raising funds, while the youngster was also invited to the captain's run ahead of Warrington Wolves' Magic Weekend clash with Wigan Warriors.

Joe's family hope that he will be well enough to fly to Australia with his dad and granddad in October to watch England in the Rugby League World Cup.

Antonia, of Georges Crescent, added: "As a family we're able to manage financially so any money that's raised we want to give to them.

"You just don't realise until you need it just how quick it is and just how fantastic the hospitals were, and they rely a lot on people's donations.

"They say that rugby is a family and at times like this you realise how fantastic they are - they've been so supportive.

"Joe is the gobby one who tells them all what to do, and they've all said that they need the one who can boss them about back on the pitch."