Charity match to help sick Rothwell boy

November 10 last year was a normal day for Lewis Roberts, three, until he suddenly doubled over in pain.

Within six hours of his first symptom he was diagnosed with stage four Wilms’ tumour, a kidney cancer that mainly affects children.

It spread to his lungs and he has had several rounds of chemotherapy, including one on Christmas Eve.

Now a charity football match will take place to help his family on Saturday (January 12), organised by family member and cricketer Andy Reynoldson.

Andy, who plays at Geddington and for Bedfordshire, said: “I went to see him in hospital and it’s just a horrible thing to happen.

“I thought I could use my contacts in cricket to try and organise something to help the family.”

The match kicks off at 1.30pm at Geddington Cricket Club and will be between a Reynoldson XI, picked by Andy, and a Geddington Cricket Club XI, picked by club chairman Steve Toseland.

Donations will be taken on the door with a barbecue, a raffle with prizes such as spa days and Manchester United tickets, and an auction, including items from cricketers Ben Duckett and Dawid Malan.

Fundraising efforts have already raised £2,300 for Lewis’ cause.

Lewis has been in and out of hospital and spent three weeks at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, including a week in intensive care.

He has recently had an operation to have the tumour removed.

Andy, 29, said: “He’s been in hospital for ages and it’s been hard for the family, it’s been a nightmare.

“But it’s looking positive, he had the operation and it went well.”