The mum of a three-year-old girl has received devastating news about the size of her daughter’s brain tumour as she tries to raise money for US treatment.

After finally finding out last month that the three-year-old is eligible for ground-breaking proton beam therapy in America, her mum Elle has now been told the tumour is sitting on all 14 parts of Poppy’s brain – including the pituitary gland and brain stem.

The family still needs to raise almost £250,000 to fund Poppy’s treatment in the US – and Elle said they are not giving up hope of reaching their target.

“We have had the devastating news that Poppy’s tumour is sitting on most of her brain,” she wrote on Facebook.

“Poppy is now at risk of having a stroke if the pressure increases in the circle of Willis and around the main artery to the brain, of the memory centre being damaged, and the learning centre – which has a risk of Poppy being mentally disabled.”

The news came as a complete shock to the 22-year-old.

“Before, we had been told the tumour was on four parts of the brain,” she said.

“The hospital hadn’t told me the real size of the tumour.

“Last Wednesday we’d gone for a meeting with an oncologist at the Royal Marsden in London and he told me out straight, about the size of Poppy’s tumour.

“It’s strange because, as I said to him, she’s the best she’s ever been.”

Poppy was diagnosed with a brain tumour in July 2016, aged just 16 months.

Since then, she has received 72 rounds of chemotherapy in an effort to reduce the the aggressive growth – but it has continued to increase in size.

Elle began searching for alternative treatment after being told the tumour is inoperable on the NHS.

Following a string of heartbreaking setbacks, the determined mum got the news she had been praying for in April – when she was told Poppy was eligible for proton beam therapy in Jacksonville, Florida.

The little girl, of Spire Avenue, Whitstable, has now lost most of the sight in her left eye.

“At the moment she’s started asking what’s happened to her eyes, and I don’t know what she means by that,” said Elle.

“This is what happened before when her eyes were affected. She was smacking her face and telling me she had headaches.

“So this to me could be a sign that the tumour is growing,”

Elle is still determined to find the £300,000 she needs to send her little girl for potentially life-saving treatment.

“We’ve been told proton beam is probably a necessary step in her treatment,” said Elle, who used to attend the Archbishop’s School in Canterbury

“It may be the only way of stopping the tumour from growing.

“Our next step is to see what Poppy’s next scan says and then judge what is in Poppy’s best interest.

“Poppy’s brain as it sits is very fragile and weak. We are hoping to see it strengthen in scans to come.”

Elle thanked everyone who has so far helped by fundraising or donating to crowdfunding page Poppy’s Plea.

“One lady raised money over the bank holiday by singing in the park in Cornwallis Circle,” she said. “I think she raised about £106, which is absolutely amazing. We are so grateful.”

The page has received almost £53,000 in donations, which will help pay for Poppy’s flights, accommodation and treatment in America.

To donate to Poppy’s Plea, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/poppysplea