Image copyright Family photo Image caption Bradley Lowery is receiving palliative care at home in County Durham

The family of terminally-ill Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery has revealed he only has weeks to live.

The six-year-old from Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, suffers from neuroblastoma and is receiving palliative care at home.

An X-ray has now shown his tumours are spreading rapidly, and there is little room left in his lungs for oxygen.

A posting on the dedicated Facebook page read: "My heart is broken in two, it is too soon for this to happen."

Bradley, who was recently named Child of Courage at the Pride of North East Awards, became Sunderland's mascot and also led out the England team for its World Cup qualifier against Lithuania in March.

His family said that he had been receiving radiotherapy as he was in a lot of pain, but became unwell on Thursday, with very low oxygen saturation levels.

He was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) where it was found that his cancer had spread so far there was very little room left in his lungs.

A Facebook posting read: "Yes I knew this was coming but I thought it was going to be months not weeks.

"My baby has had to put up with so much over the past 4 years and now he has to suffer a painful death. How is that fair??? Why should any parent have to be put through this heart ache???"