A BABY diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was four months old has inspired her father’s former school to raise money for other young cancer sufferers.

Nicole Agar’s parents, Andrew Agar and Lyndsay Fitzgerald, both 21, took their daughter to hospital when they noticed her eyes flickering.

The family, who live in Bessemer Street, Dean Bank, Ferryhill, County Durham, were devastated to learn that Nicole had a visual pathway glioma tumour and needed chemotherapy.

“We were absolutely wounded when we found out,”

said Mr Agar, who works at Roman Showers, Newton Aycliffe, who he says are extremely supportive.

“You just don’t expect it. We didn’t even know anything was wrong.

“We first found out when her eyes started shaking and we took her to hospital, where they said she has got a lump behind her eyes.”

Fourteen-month-old Nicole is halfway through 18 months’ of chemotherapy, which she receives in Newcastle, and has had an operation to fit a fluid drain on the back of her head.

Although the tumour can not be removed, early scans show that it is shrinking.

It is hoped that Nicole, who is partially blind, may recover some of her sight.

“It’s hard but we are getting a lot of support,” said Miss Fitzgerald.

“At the moment she is on four weeks on, four weeks off with the chemo, which she has once a week.

“It can really take it out of her and means that even if she just has a temperature or something, we have to take her straight back to Newcastle.

“The tumour is shrinking so, obviously, we just hope that carries on.”

Mr Agar’s former school, Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College, heard about Nicole when his cousin, Shannon Cooper, 12, asked the school council to raise money for children with cancer.

The council agreed to adopt the Children’s Cancer Charity next year. Deputy headteacher Tim Pinkney also decided to take part in the Great North Run to raise cash.

He said: “I wanted to do something that was quite personal to the school and myself so this seemed ideal, but we will be doing more work with the school council next year.”