A Norfolk boy has been sent a video message from his favourite wrestling star to help him fight cancer in hospital.

Eastern Daily Press: Melanie and Harry Addy when he was first poorly. He will spend six weeks in hospital. Picture: UK Proton TherapyMelanie and Harry Addy when he was first poorly. He will spend six weeks in hospital. Picture: UK Proton Therapy (Image: Archant)

Harry Addy, nine, from Rivermead, Stalham, and family are in Manchester where he has started six weeks of pioneering proton therapy treatment at the Christie hospital.

Harry's plight was publicised by the EDP and Great Yarmouth FC agreed to help the family.

The club's chairman is Jack Jay, who is also ring-master at the town's famous Hippodrome Circus.

Club vice-chairman Martyn Sinclair said: "Firstly, we circulated the family's appeal from the EDP link to our 6400 Twitter followers and raised over £400 to help with a few 'feel-good' presents for Harry and his family over Christmas.

"We sent the entire family to see the Fantastic Christmas Show at the Hippodrome Circus as special VIP guests, and flowers were presented to Mel as a birthday present.

"We brought a new Nintendo switch with a game for Harry to take to Manchester with him and, best of all, we managed, through Jack's many contacts, to get the Miz, world WWE superstar wrestler, who Harry Loves, to send him a personal video message telling him to keep fighting."

Ahead of their trip to hospital, Harry's mother Melanie Wymer made an emotional appeal for cards to be sent to them, which Harry could then open while he was away. Harry loves opening cards and gifts so his mother asked well-wishers to send him a little card, note or gift to take with them. The family has received more than 400 cards and packages.

Harry's mum added: "Six weeks of daily hospital visits and daily treatment and Harry won't be allowed home in these six weeks."

Harry has a cancerous 'pilocytic astrocytoma' spinal cord tumour, which he's been battling since December 2015.

He also has leptomeningeal disease in his brain - a rare complication of his cancer in which the disease spreads to the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Proton therapy is a type of radiotherapy said to pinpoint tumours with better accuracy while reducing collateral damage to other organs.