The family of a toddler diagnosed with a rare cancer has launched a bid to raise £500,000 for life-saving treatment – after he was left battling the disease for a third time.

In just less than two weeks, the appeal has hit nearly £300,000 with the Dalton family waking up one morning to an anonymous donation of £50,000.

Stanley Dalton, two, was in remission from T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in February but his parents, Georgia and Lee, were told last month that it had returned.

Stanley was just 16 months old when he was first diagnosed in March 2017 and spent numerous months in hospital as he battled the disease twice.

Stanley underwent two bone marrow transplants in the space of a year and was given a trial drug. In February, he was discharged from hospital when he entered remission.

But his parents Georgia Brecken, 32, and Lee Dalton, 34, were given the heartbreaking news in June hat the cancer had returned – and nothing could be done.

The couple are now trying to raise £500,000 for pioneering treatment in Singapore after being told there was none available in the UK.

Since launching the appeal at the end of last month, the appeal has gathered huge momentum with people fundraising across the county.

The appeal has also gathered celebrity backing from Tyson Fury, Katie Price and Geordie Shore's Gaz Beadle.

Speaking about how the appeal has gathered momentum, Georgia explained: “It’s going great. I couldn’t be happier honestly.

“Everyone has been so kind and there has been loads things going on. We are getting messages everyday about people wanting to do stuff.

“I didn’t think it would get so big so quick.”

The JustGiving total sits at more than £230,000, but the family has also had an anonymous donation of £50,000, as well as £1,000 donated from Geoff Brown and people raising money in their own accounts and donating directly to the family.

Georgia estimated the total sat near the £300,000 mark.

“I’m really hopeful now we will hit the target,” added Georgia.

“Obviously you do worry because even though it’s nearly £300,000 it’s still an awful lot to go.

“But the way things are going I am hopeful we will hit the target and we will get over there.”

This total will soon rise by next Friday as singers from Carlisle Community Choir are to Sing for Stan in a number of events to raise money.

Carlisle Community Choir fundraising event for Stanley will be a virtual quiz and open mic night, organised by Ellen Mawhinney, the choir’s musical director, on Friday, July 10.

Using Zoom, the night will include performances from Ellen and her accompanist Kristine Donnan, and quiz rounds. Other choir members will also be able to take the mic and perform themselves.

The event is open to anyone and to book a place for the event drop the choir an email to carlislecommunitychoir@hotmail.com stating how many people you are booking for and how many devices you’ll be logging in to the event with.

The choir will respond to confirm people's booking and include a link to make any donations.

Closer to the date, the choir will issue further details including how to log in to the event.

Linda Howard, Carlisle Community Choir’s chair, said: “We were very touched by the reports in The Cumberland News about Stanley and his family and now that we are meeting on Zoom, we felt that we could put our energies into this and do something really good for this little boy.”

To donate to Stanley’s justgiving page for his life-saving treatment visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/saveourstan1.