THE mother of a toddler with a rare type of cancer says the arrival of pioneering treatment in the UK will be too late for her son.

Tracy Lindridge, 34, of Taunton Road, Northfleet needs to raise £10,000 by May to afford proton radiotherapy for three-year-old Aaron.

Aaron was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer that affects less than 60 children in the UK, in December.

Proton radiotherapy was previously only available in the US and allows higher doses of radiation to kill cancer cells.

But health secretary Andrew Lansley has revealed the NHS will invest £250 million into new proton beam therapy units in London and Manchester, to be completed by 2017.

Mrs Lindridge said: “It’s very good news but it’s not good for us.

“We feel a bit sad it will not be ready in time for Aaron but if it will cure lots of other children then it will make a big difference.”

The family has so far raised £6,000.

A Facebook group has been set up called Aaron’s American Adventure.