Bradley Lowery in 'horrendous pain', his mother reveals as he misses mascot role at football match

 
Bradley Lowery, the football mascotwhose struggle to beat a rare form of cancer has captured hearts, is in "horrendous pain" his mother has revealed.
The five-year-old was unable to attend Sunderland FC's football match last night as his family said doctors fear his rare form of cancer may be progressing.
Confirming the news, his mother Gemma wrote on his donations page: "I am hoping and praying that it is nothing serious and he starts to improve as I'm not ready for this to happen yet".

The Sunderland fan, from Blackhall, County Durham, has neuroblastoma - a solid tumour which makes up 8 per cent of the total number of children's cancers in the UK - but its cause remains unknown.
Doctors believe Lowery's cancer is terminal after a new form of treatment failed.
Bradley's battle against the disease has touched the footballing world and he has appeared as a mascot for both Sunderland FC and England.

England's Jermain Defoe with mascot Bradley Lowery  Credit: ReutersThe youngster has struck up a friendship with England striker Jermain Defoe and other Black Cats stars who visited him in hospital when he was undergoing life-prolonging treatment.

On Wednesday, Gemma Lowery wrote on Bradley's fundraising page: "Bradley is not good ...he has been in horrendous pain with his leg since yesterday to the point he couldn't move in bed last night.
"We have had him to the hospital today and they have give him a x Ray but it didn't show anything.
"The doctors gut feeling is that it is his cancer progressing but we need to wait and watch for a few days to see what happens.

"Bradley was due to be mascot at the Riverside tonight but he is not well enough to go so we have had to cancel it.  I am hoping and praying that it is nothing serious and he starts to improve as I'm not ready for this to happen yet.