"MOTHER'S instinct" after reading the tragic story of 13-year-old James O'Mara, of Claines, who died of blood cancer last month, helped a mum-of-five to realise her daughter could have undiagnosed leukaemia.

Homemaker Laura Handley, aged 29, of Tenbury, and father Chris Carpenter, a wooden machinist, noticed their one-year-old daughter Tazmin Handley-Carpenter had suffered a lot of bruising and tiny red spots on her skin (petechiae) since Christmas, but with no other symptoms, they put it down to the youngster being "clumsy".

But, after reading about James, featured in the Worcester News, who had no symptoms of illness until just days before his death, Miss Handley took Tazmin to see her GP.

On July 8, after a bone marrow biopsy and a series of tests she was initially diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a clinical syndrome where the immune system destroys platelets.

But just half-an-hour later they diagnosed myelodysplasia (pre-leukaemia).

And following further tests, doctors then diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) on Wednesday, July 19.

Miss Handley said: "We are just so shocked.

"If I hadn't read that story about that poor lad I wouldn't have taken her to the doctors.

"You have to trust your instinct I just new something was wrong with our princess.

"We just kept putting it down to her being clumsy- as she is so clumsy- and even the consultant said if she was her child she wouldn't of took her to the doctor's as she is just so well in herself.

"She seems so healthy."

She added: "I keep thinking of this young lad's family so heartbreaking.

"I am upset obviously, but I am glad that I read the article."

Tazmin is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Tazmin has four siblings, Tristan, aged eight months, Bethany, aged eight, and an older brother and sister.

To follow Tazmin's journey, go to Facebook page: Tazmin's Fight Against AML.

A fundraising page has been set to help support the family. To make a donation, go to tinyurl.com/y95pod4f.