BRAVE little Maddox Tallowin could owe his life to a lucky haircut.

Parents Ben and Barbie decided to give the tot a trim and discovered suspicious looking lumps on the back of his head.

They took him to the doctors and were horrified to find out it was a tell-tale sign of leukaemia.

Blood tests confirmed their worst fears and the Frinton youngster was rushed into Addenbrooke's Hospital.

"It was more luck than anything else that we found it," said Ben, 32.

"Maddox had a mohawk haircut. We decided to cut it off on the spur of the moment because it was getting a bit long and we found a couple of bumps just above his spine and neck area.

"It didn't look right so we took him to the doctor who said he wasn't too sure and sent him off for blood tests.

"The results came back almost immediately. We had doctors knocking on the door telling us there problems with his white bloodcells.

"Twenty-four hours later we were in Addenbrooke's Hospital."

Maddox was given chemotherapy to fight the leukaemia.

He spent four months in Addenbrooke's, celebrating his third birthday and Christmas in hospital, before being allowed home.

But the youngster still has to make the long trip to Cambridge several times a week for further treatment.

The chemo also destroyed his immune system, leaving him wide open to bugs and infections which means he is in hospital amost every day.

He will need chemotherapy for three years.

Ben said: "Maddox has to be up at 5am to get to Addenbrooke's and sometimes we don't get out until 5pm so there are a lot of long journeys and time away from home.

"He can't go to pre-school at the moment although we're hoping he might be able to go back in a few months' time.

"He's got no immune system at all. It's at rock bottom - zero. It's non-existant.

"He's stuck indoors and now the weather has turned nice he can't even go out in the garden."

The endless hospital visits are also taking their toll on cabbie Ben and Barbie, 33, of Green Way, Frinton. The couple have had to try juggle their jobs around medical appointments and caring for year-old daughter Elise.

"It's been an absolute nightmare - one of the worst things you could ever experience," said Ben.

"We've put our lives on hold for three years.

"Luckily both our families are very close by and they've helped us out a lot.

I've had to take a lot of time off work and Barbie works nights so it can be extremely awkward.

But we've both lived here all our lives and know everybody around here. Our friends have all helped out as much as they can and we're really grateful."

Pal Tammy Ross, 32, has organised an auction to raise money for the cash-strapped family.

Prizes include celeb photos signed by the Arsenal team and Pop Idol's Simon Cowell, soapstars from EastEnders and Coronation Street and tickets to Colchester Zoo.

"The family need as much help as possible and we hope to raise as much money as we can for them," said Tammy, of Green Way, Frinton.

"If any local companies would like to donate then that would be wonderful."

Meanwhile Maddox's family are praying he will make a full recovery.

"He's always got a smile on his face - and that's what we want to see," said Ben.

* The fundraising auction is at Clacton's Warwick Arms pub on May 16 at 2pm. To help email maddox-tallowin@hotmail.co.uk.