AN eight-year-old boy who had to have his leg amputated during his battle against a rare cancer has taken his first steps with his new prosthetic.

Conall Riley was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone and tissue cancer earlier this year after his parents Cara and James Riley took him to A&E when he woke up screaming about a pain in his right shin one night.

An MRI scan showed the youngster, who is a pupil at Earls Hall School, in Carlton Avenue, Southend, had a huge tumour on his leg and he has since had 11 out of 14 sessions of chemotherapy.

Conall, who has undergone treatment at Southend Hospital, London’s UCL Hospital and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, also had to have his right leg amputated below the knee in July but has just taken his first steps in months using his new prosthesis.

His proud mother Cara, 42, of Tintern Road, Westcliff, said: “He tried the prosthetic leg out for the first time and it went really well. I’m really proud of him.

“He’s pretty desperate to have legs now and just wants to go back to school really and be with his friends.

“I don’t think it has really hit him yet quite how much his life has changed. He left school in January this year and probably won’t be able to go back until February. When he left it was as an able bodied child but will be going back as a disabled child.”

Brave Conall has also suffered side effects from his treatment and has been hospitalised after every chemotherapy treatment he has had, but was happily able to stay out of hospital after last month’s session.

Both Cara and James have had to give up work to care for their three children, Conall, Finn and Caireann, so friends, family and even strangers have rallied around to help raise money to support them financially and give donations to the hospitals which have treated Conall. Donate at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kickcancerovertherainbow2