PARENTS of a child with an inoperable brain tumour are cycling over 200 miles through two countries and four cities in just three days to raise money for charity.

A team of nine from Whitley Wood and Earley aim to cycle a mammoth 240 miles from Milan to Monaco to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Theo Smallbone, now four, was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just 15 months.

His mother Shirleen Farrendon said: “Nothing ever prepares you for hearing your young son has a ‘3cm lesion with fluid’ in his brain.

“I just felt I couldn’t function and that my body was shutting down and didn’t want to do anything.

“I don’t think you can put into words how traumatic it is, learning of a diagnosis like that about your own child.”

Theo had had 18 months of chemotherapy, involving 13 blood transfusions, three platelet transfusions and many nights in and out of hospital, and his first scan since stopping chemotherapy looks positive.

Theo’s father Craig Smallbone and a few members of the team are extending the route to 950 miles by continuing down to Barcelona.

The Brain Tumour Charity funds pioneering research to increase survival, raises awareness of the symptoms and effects of brain tumours and provides support for everyone affected.

Geraldine Pipping, the charity’s director of fundraising said: “We are so grateful to Shirleen and the team for raising awareness and funds and we wish them the best of luck for their cycle challenge.”

“We receive no government funding and rely 100% on voluntary donations.

“It’s only through the efforts of Shirleen and the team and others like them that we can work towards doubling survival and halving the harm caused by brain tumours.

“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK and survival rates have not improved significantly over the last 40 years. We need to change that.”

Joining Theo’s parents are Marchessa Hollyfield, Floyd Mills, Richard Arkell, Levi Somerville, Nick Morrison, Glen Reynolds and Denham Rimple.

They aim to complete the challenge in just three days from September 29 to October 1.