'Am I going to survive mum?' - Boy, 13, started limping - then his parents were told he had up to a year left to live

An 'adventurous' teenage boy who is 'full of enthusiasm for life' started losing his balance and limping. Days later, his parents were told he had up to a year left to live.

Arnold Chappin, 13, was taken to see his GP by mum Ruth, originally from Walkden, after he had started falling over and limping at the beginning of June.

With Arnold, also known as Arnie, being 'adventurous and clumsy', parents Ruth and Brett could never have imagined the devastating news they would later receive.

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It was when Arnold started struggling to put on his socks and shoes and was finding it difficult to use his left hand that they knew something wasn't right.

He was taken for neurological tests and an MRI scan by specialists in a paediatric unit. It was revealed that he had a left-sided weakness, was uncoordinated and that his reflexes were not responding as they should. Further tests at the Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge later showed that Arnold had a 'large mass' on his brain.

It was just last Wednesday (June 14) that his parents were told that Arnold had developed an aggressive tumour called Brain Stem Glioma, predicting he may have between six months and a year left to live.

"It all started about three weeks ago when he started limping on his left side," Ruth told the M.E.N. "I noticed he was holding his arm up and that he seemed to be off balance and kept falling over a lot.

"He can be very adventurous and clumsy so at first we just thought it was what he is like as a person. He is always rushing around, climbing up things and falling over.

"Then I really started to see him deteriorate with his balance. He couldn't put his shoes and socks on and was