Early Christmas for leukaemia boy

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The family of a six-year-old boy who is terminally ill with leukaemia have decided to celebrate Christmas early.

Joel Picker Spence is too poorly to have a bone marrow transplant, even though a suitable donor has been found.

Joel's parents decided to have a party for him with a festive twist at the family home near Newark in Nottinghamshire on Saturday.

They exchanged gifts and opened Christmas cards. The day was topped off with flurries from a snow machine.

Joel's mother Anne-Marie Picker-Spence said: "We are doing everything we can to bring people - family and friends - together to celebrate.

"I know his story has touched a lot of people.

Joel and his family opened gifts and celebrated early

"It is great to see him enjoy himself and try to be a little boy for once."

Joel was diagnosed with the condition more than three years ago and had been in remission.

But his mother said tests showed the cancer cells had returned.

A special clinic was held in August to find Joel a bone marrow donor.

He had a week of intensive chemotherapy to get him well enough for his transplant, but the treatment failed to work.