WHEN three-year-old Joshua Wilson suffered a rare brain condition, his young friends wanted to do something to help.

So classmates from the Park Nursery in Bury, took part in a fund-raising day with a Euro football flavour.

Joshua is in a responsive coma after brain surgery. He underwent an operation to remove a tumour and cyst from his brain stem at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital after developing double vision last March.

Doctors have predicted it could take two years for him to recover.

His mother, 28-year-old Dawn Fiddler, said: "At the moment, Joshua's body does not function but he is still aware of what is happening around him. We are not sure what he can see but he can definitely hear.

"He also smiles and chuckles and sometimes cries, mostly out of frustration, and his arms and legs are beginning to tone up."

Because the tumour was on the brain stem, doctors have no way of knowing how Joshua's brain has been affected.

Dawn explained: "It is rare for a child to develop a brain-stem tumour; it is normally only seen in children born this way.

"With it being on the stem, there are no tests to find out what exactly is wrong with him. He is a specialist case to the surgeons."

Dawn and Joshua's father, Colin Wilson (34), are having their homes renovated to suit their son's needs.

The cost to install equipment is estimated to run into several thousands of pounds, with lifts to Joshua's bedroom costing £6,000 alone.

Mrs Jutta Law, owner of Park Nursery in Pimhole Road, said: "We are doing all we can to raise funds to buy equipment for Joshua.

"We are having a penalty shoot-out in the park and a football skills test for the children, with parents donating any money they want, and I have been sponsored to wear my son's football strip for the day, all tying in with Euro 2004.

"We are also planning a sponsored walk from Bury to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in July."

Joshua, who was due to start at Christ Church Primary School this September, is now beginning care at the town's Priory Rehabilitation Centre, a 24-hour specialist neurological unit.

He will stay there for 12 weeks before returning to Park Nursery or a specialist school.

Colin, of Holly Street, said: "The hardest part is to look back at old pictures of Joshua running around having fun.

"Each week he progresses, but we don't know how long that will continue -- he may stop tomorrow and be like this for the rest of his life.

"When that realisation hits, it is difficult to deal with but then we remember that Joshua isn't going to die and we meet many parents at the hospital who have to deal with that reality and their children."

Dawn, of Walshaw Road, added: "It is very frustrating that we cannot ask what, when or why this has happened to him, but he is still the same Joshua.

"The part of the brain that controls his personality has not been touched and he still laughs at the same silly things any other four-year-old laughs at."