A FAMILY has spoken of their terror when they thought their only child might die.

Andrew Sharp was a healthy teenage boy until suddenly one day in March at his home in Darton he began to scream out with an extreme headache.

He was rushed to Barnsley Hospital. As the pain worsened the 15-year-old screamed out.

Mum Lynne said: "It was the worst moment of my life.

"My only child was in so much pain and there was absolutely nothing we could do to help him. We felt so helpless and just wished it would stop."

It was decided to transfer Andrew to Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Lynne, 51, said: "I remember my husband Jeff and I looking at each other in the ambulance with pure worry, wondering how this was all happening.

"Only a day before Andrew was fit and healthy, now he was fighting for his life in absolute agony."

At the hospital Andrew was diagnosed with a bleed on the brain.

While Jeff and Lynne, from Pennine View, Darton, waited and wondered, a nurse on the intensive care ward told them about Treetop House, a ‘home from home' provided by the Sick Children's Trust.

Lynne said: "Ann, the house manager, came down to the ward to meet us and took us upstairs to see the house.

"We were blown away; Treetop House was on the top floor of the hospital and was like a real home.

"It had everything we could possibly need including a clean bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and lounge. It also had laundry facilities which we really appreciated.

"When we took Andrew to accident and emergency, we never thought to take belongings with us as we never anticipated his condition would be serious."

Andrew's surgery went well but he had a long road to recovery with a course of physiotherapy and lots of rest in hospital. His parents spent every day with Andrew - they never had to worry about travelling home - instead they could just walk upstairs.

"We had a phone in our bedroom so we knew that if there was any change in his condition the ward could contact us right away," Lynne added.

"What was so helpful about The Sick Children's Trust's accommodation is that it was free to stay in.

"Jeff and I were off work while Andrew was in hospital as we didn't want to leave his side, but of course we still had lots of payments to keep up with at home, so the fact that the accommodation was free was great.

"Andrew is now at home with us and is slowly getting better. It's so nice to finally have him home and we're so grateful to the Sick Children's Trust for supporting us when we needed them most."