A family trip to the barbers has helped put a smile on the face of a cancer-stricken young man.

James Cornwell, 21, from Hextable, is battling against the disease at The Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton.

Having suffered the disappointment of curtailing his studies at North West Kent College and giving up his first job, any smile that can be brought to his face is priceless.

Dad Pete, uncle Chris and godfather Mike hoped to do just that with a touching display of family unity at local AK Barbers on Saturday .

“James is a young lad of 21, he was really conscious about his hair and he used to trust the owner Kevin implicitly,” said Pete.

“He said he would not charge us for the actual service, which is a great gesture.”

James has been fighting the disease for well over a year and spends much of his time in the Sutton hospital’s teenage cancer ward.

He's also received some celebrity support wit both Simon Pegg and Jack Whitehall popping in to show their support to those fighting their way back to full strength.

The support has been so gratefully received that the family are now raising money to give something back.

Aunt Joanne said: “The teenage cancer ward offers a home-like feel for the patients and all the money raised will help keep this going.

“We encourage all our friends and family to join in and add their own ideas and events to raise as much money as possible for this wonderful hospital.”

More than £700 was raised in less than a month, with the total rapidly approaching £1,000.

Although James enjoyed some much needed family time at home over Christmas, the hospital ward is absolutely crucial in his battle to recover.

The support has been immense, but Pete is well aware that his son still has a long road ahead of him.

“Last June we got the shock diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), where his white blood cells become mutated,” explained Pete.

“We were told it needed to be dealt with straight away.

“He was treated and we were given chemotherapy tablets, but in October - shortly before his 21st birthday - it took a turn for the worse.”

According to cancer support group Macmillan, only 600 people in the UK are diagnosed with CML each year.

It is also more often found in middle aged and older people, far younger than James.

More tragic still is that many sufferers do not require treatment for months or years, whereas James had to begin chemotherapy immediately.

“After the new year he was readmitted for the second stage of chemotherapy,” said Pete.

“He lost his hair and became anaemic.

“Now we are hoping that we have got a blood donor match for a bone marrow stem transplant, but it’s a long road.”

Pete, Chris and Mike will continue their fundraising with a long road of their own in March, as they take on the annual Marsden March challenge.

It is a 14 mile walk from The Royal Marsden in Chelsea to the same hospital in Sutton and this year takes place on Sunday March 13.

You can donate to the family’s appeal at justgiving.com/joanne-cornwell1 or by texting JCOR99 followed by the amount you wish to give to 70070.