A Yarmouth family are set to jet off to America after being told their 13-year-old daughter was able to receive treatment there for her brain tumour.

Abbie Boast, a year eight pupil at Great Yarmouth High School, was found to have grade two diffuse astrocytoma in May.

And since then mum Alison and dad Dean have been waiting to find out if the NHS could send their daughter to the USA for proton beam therapy, a form of radio therapy which isn't yet available in the UK.

Now, following tests at Addenbroke's Hospital at the beginning of the month, the family have been told the NHS has approved the treatment abroad.

Alison said they were now waiting for flights to be sorted, but it looked like things were mvoing quickly and they could be taking off in the next three weeks.

She said: 'We're quite pleased that things are moving forward, you just want the best for your child and we want everything sorted, it's nerve-wracking at the same time.'

While they were waiting to find out, the town's community rallied around to help the family with their costs and a whole raft of fundraising events were organised.

This included a 'big wig' walk which saw well-wishers don their brightest and silliest looking wigs, before parading along Gorleston Cliffs.

More than £15,000 has now been raised online, while in person more than that amount has been given to the family, totalling near £30,000.

Although the NHS would fund Abbie, Alison and Dean's flights - as well as Abbie's treatment - the funds will go towards paying for Abbie's brother Ashton's flights, living costs in America, as well as any payments the family still have to make back home.

The Boast family are likely to be in America for around eight weeks for the treatment and Alison also thanked those who had helped to fundraise.

'We've just been overwhelmed,' she said.

'Whoever said community spirit was dead, well it's not in Great Yarmouth. It just keeps coming, we can't thank people enough for taking our little girl into their hearts.'

To follow Abbie's progress or to donate, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Littlebirdsbigbattle