Wellwishers send more then 200 cards as Leeds cancer fight boy Toby Nye celebrates his fifth birthday

Toby Nye’s family were told the devastating news that had high risk cancer neuroblastoma on his fourth birthday on January 6 last year.

His family and friends wanted people to help make sure his fifth birthday - set to be celebrated with a party open to the public in Armley today – is a “massive celebration.”

People were asked to send birthday cards for Toby, of Osmondthorpe, to help ensure his big day is extra special.

And more than 200 cards have been sent to Toby from all other the country.

The YEP has also got involved - by designing a special, birthday card-style front page for Toby on today’s newspaper.

His mother Stacey Worsley said: “It means everything to us – I can’t explain how happy he is going to be.

“He loves it when he gets birthday cards so I can’t imagine what he is going to be like when he gets all these cards.”

People were asked to send the birthday cards to the Hope Inn on York Road, where landord Gary Barrass has been collecting them ahead of Toby’s birthday today.

Mr Barrass said: “There are more than 200 cards, which is fantastic.”

His wife Lynn, 61, landlady at The Hope, said: “The response has been overwhelming. The cards have been sent from all over the country.”

Bar worker Julie Ross, 35, is a friend of the Nye family and came up with the birthday card appeal idea.

She said: “People were asking me every day how Toby was and everybody was wanting to show their support.

“Obviously he didn’t have a very good fourth birthday so we wanted to make sure his fifth was extra special.

“Toby is just an amazing character. He is the bravest, strongest little lad I have ever met. He is just full of energy all the time, he is brilliant.”

Customers and staff at the Hope Inn have raised £10,000 for the appeal to pay for treatment for Toby not currently available on the NHS.

Leeds United gave a major boost to a fundraising drive, which has raised more than £150,000 to pay for the antibody treatment.

Toby is due to start the treatment later this month at Leeds General Infirmary.

The whole Leeds United family pulled together for One Day for Toby, which was held on Friday, October 27. Players and club staff donated their salaries for the day as did workers from club parent company Aser and the Leeds United Foundation.

Trinity Leeds have donated a £50 gift card to Toby for his birthday.

Dan Wharton, marketing manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “We wish Toby a very happy birthday and hope we can help make some lovely memories for him and his family.”

All will be welcome at his birthday party celebrations at Gotts Park in Armley from 2pm to 6pm today.

The party will include face painting, bouncy castles and a DJ.