A FOOTBALL club treasurer recently diagnosed with cancer is appealing for help to raise money to tackle the life threatening illness.

Paul McGeary, of Newton Aycliffe, was diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia in November and he will spend Christmas in hospital.

He has been dealt a further blow as his 14-month-old daughter Niamh is not allowed to visit him and Mr McGeary had to watch her first steps via Skype.

Instead of wallowing in self pity, the treasurer of Newton Aycliffe Football Club is asking people to donate money to help him to raise £2,000 for charity.

Mr McGeary, 33, and his wife, Becky, has launched an appeal in aid of the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity via his Not One Inch appeal.

He has launched a Just Giving page and so far the fundraising has gained £180.

Mr McGeary, the football club’s official historian and programme editor, is also writing a blog during his two-month course of chemotherapy at the James Cook Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

He said: “I've been told I have a 90 per cent chance of recovery, so I'm one of the lucky ones. I could have been diagnosed with a much more severe form of leukaemia

“But evidently acute in this form means aggressive and in the three weeks since the bruises have appeared, the leukaemia has taken its hold.

"I’m here to be cured, but I have a long road ahead of me."

Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research is a leading UK cancer research charity dedicated to improving the lives of patients with all types of blood cancer.

Mr McGeary, a maths teacher at Sedgefield Community College, said: "The research they have already done in the past will help me to beat this disease.

"But fundraising is vital so they can continue their work and, in time, increase recovery rates for all forms of leukaemia."

He also wants to encourage people to give blood to hospitals especially over the festive period.

Donations to Mr McGeary’s cause can be made at justgiving.com/fundraising/Paul-McGeary2 and you can follow his story via Twitter @PaulMcGeary