DOCTORS have told the family of young Madison Parton that she has only weeks to live, after finding her cancer has spread.

The youngster from Sandford Hill, Longton, was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer two years ago.

But despite beating it once before, her family have now been told the cancer has spread to her chest, lungs and back.

Her condition is deteriorating rapidly and four-year-old Madison is now being looked after by staff at the Donna Louise Children's Hospice at Trentham Lakes.

Her mum Annette is keeping a 24-hour vigil by her bed.

Annette, aged 34, said: "We are all absolutely gutted, devastated.

"Madison is at Treetops and is expected to pass away there within the next couple of weeks.

"She has been put on painkillers to keep her comfortable, but the dosage is going up and up and up.

"It is a cruel, cruel world, but now we have got to accept that she can't fight it any more and do our best to keep her comfortable."

It is 12 months since Madison was given the all-clear from the cancer rhabdomyosarcoma.

But it was found to have returned only two months later.

Scans in July revealed the tumour had grown, but at the start of this year, her family were full of hope that a new drugs trial in February could provide the answer to their prayers.

Madison was among a handful of youngsters chosen for a six-month trial of a new, unnamed drug at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

She managed to complete the first round of the new chemotherapy treatment, but scans then showed the cancer had spread.

Annette said the family have tried their best to find a cure for Madison.

She said: "Madison coped with the first lot of chemotherapy well, but she has just gone downhill ever since.

"It was obviously not the right trial for her, but we would have tried anything to save her.

"We wanted something good to come out of things and keep her for as long as we could.

"Unfortunately though, it is going to beat her."

Annette added: "The cancer is growing very, very rapidly.

"The doctors said at first she would be lucky to see the month out, but we've now been told it will be more like two weeks."

Madison's grandmother Janet Parton, aged 58, from Fenton, said: "It is a very sad time and we never expected the tumour to grow this big and this quickly. The doctors are with her now and she could only have a few days left.

"She is a very brave little girl and has been fighting this all the way through. In fact she is still fighting it."