A DEVOTEED father has organised a day long series of rugby matches in aid of his ill son.

Mark ‘Tank’ Bell, Mowden Park Rugby Team’s third 15 Captain, arranged the marathon of rugby fixtures to raise money for his son Luke, who was diagnosed with High Risk Neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, in April.

The seven-year-old is being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he has undergone several cycles of chemotherapy and is often travelling between Newcastle and the family home in Darlington.

The young man has been affected by the treatment but we are told he is back in full, fighting spirits and is displaying incredible levels of energy ahead of an upcoming operation to remove the tumour.

Another famous young man who battled the illness is Bradley Lowery, the six-year-old Sunderland fan who sadly passed away earlier this year after winning the hearts of the nation.

Neuroblastoma develops from specialised nerve cells (neuroblasts) left behind from a baby’s development in the womb. The condition affects around 100 children each year in the UK yet the cause is still unknown.

The brave youngster’s father and the event organiser, Mr Bell, said that the focus now for his son is getting out and about.

“The news was devastating, and has turned our world upside down,” he said.

“However, Luke is a fighter, and continues to demonstrate bravery and courage throughout his treatment. The support we have received from friends and family has been overwhelming, and is something we will be eternally grateful for.

“As well as the support from friends and family, the rugby community have been fantastic. The idea for an event originally came from Stockton RFC, where I have quite a few friends who play.

“They wanted to set up an event in the Arena to raise funds for Luke. Obviously Mowden Park RFC got on board and it evolved from there.”

The ‘Dawn ‘til Dusk’ event kicked-off on Saturday, August 12 at the Northern Echo Arena with local teams playing a series of consecutive matches throughout the day. The games started at 8am and culminated 12-hours later in a game between Mr Bell’s team and Newton Aycliffe.

The #TeamLuke campaign has so far raised over £2000, with money raised for Luke being spent on activities to make his illness easier. They plan to raise enough money to keep Luke active and motivated throughout his battle.

All money raised on the day will be split between Luke (to provide him with as many activities as possible to make his battle a bit easier), and North of England Children’s Cancer Research charity, who have been funding research into childhood cancer for over 30 years.

You can donate to #TeamLuke at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/teamluke