AN eight-year-old boy who was diagnosed with leukaemia has thanked his classmates for helping him while he has been having treatment.

Harvey Gaydon, of Darlington, is in the middle of receiving intensive therapy after being diagnosed last October.

He had started feeling unwell during the school holidays and a month after starting at the town's Abbey Road Junior School, he was told he had leukaemia.

Since then his classmates and teachers have rallied around to support him.

"The school has been absolutely brilliant since we found out about Harvey's illness," said mother Caroline Gaydon.

"The teachers and the pupils have been so supportive.

"I was worried about him being picked on or bullied but there has been nothing to make him feel like he did not want to go to school.

"Harvey and I just want to say a big thank you to everyone at the school who has helped him this year, Harvey has done really well.

"He has been remarkable, he is just a super star."

Shortly after his diagnosis the school sent a newsletter to parents asking them to advise teachers if any child developed chicken pox because Harvey was vulnerable to infection.

Teachers visited him in hospital, taking presents and cards from pupils.

When Harvey was too ill to take part in sports day the school asked him to present the certificates and prizes so that he was also involved.

On Red Nose day, when the theme was big hair, Harvey was presented with a certificate for having the best big hair in the school.

The eight-year-old had lost his hair through treatment for his leukaemia and his mother had drawn a red nose on his head instead.

Headteacher George Ford said: "As a school we try to the best thing for all the children. We try to be one big Abbey family."