A DAD who is battling terminal cancer is to have a new course of treatment after the disease spread to his bones.

Tom Cooper, from Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, was told that he could only have three or four months left to live if he decided against the treatment.

The 27-year-old was diagnosed with a rare form of neck cancer in October 2011 and has been battling the disease ever since.

He had scans last week and has now been told the cancer has spread in his body.

He said: “It was bad news, but not a shock as I could feel it myself through pain.

“The cancer has spread to my bones.

“There is quite a lot of the disease in the base of my spine and my consultant said the cancer is growing and spreading rapidly which he finds worrying and would like me to start chemotherapy as soon as possible.

“Today we asked my consultant to be very honest with us and answer our questions honestly.

“We asked what exactly is happening and what the prognosis is. He said it’s very hard to say now as it’s growing and spreading very fast and he is worried.

“If I decide against treatment, he said a couple of months, maybe three to four, is what I’ve got left.

“I’m going to fight this all the way.

“I want to see as much of my little girls growing up as I possibly can and three to four months isn’t long enough.”

Two years ago the community helped raise £20,000 so that Tom could marry the love of his life Tammy. The couple have two children together, Ziani, three, and Tienna, aged six.

Mr Cooper said: “At the end of June, I'm having an injection called Zoledronic Acid which is to help strengthen the bones, lessen the pain and slow the growth down a little.

“The chemotherapy he says he would be giving me is called Docetaxel (Taxotere) and the common side effects are higher risk of infections, tiredness and breathless-ness.

“The treatment will also involve bruising easily, hair loss, rash, sore mouth and more.”

Earlier this year the couple hit back after they were targeted by an internet troll who accused them ofm ‘making money from the word cancer’.