A regional newspaper group has got behind a mother’s fundraising appeal to help her son in his second battle against cancer.

Archant South West weekly titles the Exmouth Journal, Exmouth Herald, Sidmouth Herald and Midweek Herald have helped raise more than £2,000 so far for the Help my Son to Live campaign in aid of Raymond O’Sullivan.

The 11-year-old’s family recently found out a cancerous tumour, known as orbital rhabdomyosarcoma, had returned for the second time in his life – after he won a previous battle against it when he was diagnosed in 2001.

Raymond needs a form of radiotherapy in seven weeks’ time which is only available in America and Holland costing between £15,000 and £18,000 and his family have been told the NHS may not pay for this, prompting the launch of the fundraising drive.

As part of the appeal, mum Vanessa Evens, pictured with Raymond on the appeal logo above, collected nearly £1,000 after taking donation buckets to pubs.

She said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed with the support and generosity of people.

“Quite often I was in floods of tears when I was going around the pubs and people were digging deep into their pockets to give money.

“For Raymond to have cancer once was bad enough, so, for it to return, was incredibly disheartening. But East Devon is behind him and that was certainly shown by the contents of the buckets last weekend.”

If the NHS decides it can fund his treatment, the money raised will be donated to a cancer charity.

Vanessa has been told that under whichever type of radiotherapy Raymond receives, long-term damage could be caused to his optic nerve which could mean he loses his sight.