Generous readers of The Argus have donated more than £13,000 in less than a fortnight to a life-saving fund for cancer-stricken teenager Josh James.

The 14-year-old's family is desperate to raise £36,000 for treatment abroad which may cure him of his rare illness.

The Argus highlighted Josh's plight at Easter and within days the cash offers began pouring in.

The Brighton-based Oddity Solidarity and Benevolence Society, made up of traders and businessmen, has pledged £10,000 and staff at Asda in Hollingbury, Brighton, are holding a car boot sale and fun day on May 9 to help out.

Josh has Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer which strikes mainly boys between ten and 20.

The cancer grows in bones or soft tissue and doctors say he could have just months to live.

Josh was diagnosed last May after receiving treatment at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children in Brighton when a shoulder pain became too intense to bear.

An MRI scan showed lesions in his spine and Joshua was sent to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where a primary cancerous tumour was discovered in his shoulder.

Josh, of Birch Grove Crescent, Brighton, has undergone months of intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions as well as a stem cell transplant but a second tumour has appeared in his thigh.

Despite the prognosis his father Simon Early, 36, has refused to give up hope.

Together with Josh's UK consultant, he has discovered possible trial treatments in the United States and Europe.

He is setting up the fund as a registered charity and hopes to help other children with similar problems.

Mr Early, of Peacehaven, described the response to Josh's plight as "amazing". He said: "I'm overwhelmed. I've had more than 1,000 emails too."

He is remortgaging his house to pay for trial drugs developed by Spanish firm PharmaMar.

Josh had his hair dyed blue at Toppers in Ditchling Road, Brighton, last week.

His mother Cindy James, 41, said: "He always wanted his hair dyed. He was bald for so long and now he's got hair so he wanted to have it done."

Mr Early has set up a web site with his son's medical options at www.joshjames.co.uk