BRAVE David Astbury's dream came true - thanks to a nationl charity for sick children.

For the desperately ill nine-year-old received a Cocker Spaniel puppy during a surprise trip to the Moscow State Circus, at Southport.

His devoted family arranged the trip through the charity, Dial-a-Dream.

David, of Pickup Street, Clayton-le-Moors, collapsed at school last December and rushed to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, where doctors initially thought he was suffering from meningitis.

He was then transferred to Pendlebury Children's Hospital, in Manchester, where he was diagnosed as having suffered a massive brain haemorrhage.

His mum Amanda, said: "He spent two weeks in intensive care and the doctors feared he might not survive. But he's a fighter and he pulled through."

David will undergo complicated neurosurgery next month and Amanda added: "He has to be careful. One knock on his head and we could lose him. His doctors describe him as a walking time bomb."

But throughout his battle for life, David has remained a happy-go-lucky brother to six-year-old Emma.

Amanda said: "He loves dogs and always wanted one of his own but I couldn't afford it.

"It was lovely to see his little face light up when he was handed the Cocker Spaniel."

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