SICK children in Southampton are to be treated more than 80 miles away from their homes due to a lack of specialised staff in the city.

Children suffering from cancer who need to undergo radiotherapy will have to travel to London to receive the treatment.

This comes after a Hampshire six-year-old recently diagnosed with a brain tumour could not undergo radiotherapy at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS).

Harry St Ledger will now have to spend the next six weeks at the University College Hospital in London, miles away from his home in Porchester.

His family believes that this is because of a shortage of radiographers locally.

A spokesperson for UHS said there is not a shortage of radiographers but it has confirmed that the hospital's paediatric clinical oncologist has moved to a new hospital.

Harry's mother Fiona Lear, 46, said: "I am angry to think that Harry will have to live away from the security and comfort of his own home during treatment as being able to sleep in his own bed and have his own things around him every night would be such a comfort."

The Castle Primary School pupil was diagnosed two weeks ago after being struck down by an ear infection at the start of the year. An MRI scan prior to what should have been a straightforward procedure to fit a grommet in his ear revealed an anomaly in his brain.

Harry was originally treated at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham and then at Southampton General Hospital.

But his radiotherapy will now have to take place in London.

Fiona, who helps his husband Cairan run a family business, said: “This may well be the only treatment option open for us and we know that not all children respond. After that the pathway is, sadly, one of rapid deterioration and the average survival time after diagnosis is just nine to 12 months. At this stage we cannot begin to think what may lie ahead if this doesn’t work.”

Brain Tumour Research, the charity that is supporting Harry and his family, said Harry has autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and finds it hard to communicate with others. They now fear that this may complicate his treatment, particularly as he will be away from his familiar home environment.

The Daily Echo asked UHS how many oncologists are needed at the hospital in the city and if the oncologist who moved to a new hospital will be replaced, but UHS declined to comment.

A UHS spokesperson added: "While we have no shortage of therapy radiographers in our oncology service, our paediatric clinical oncologist has sadly moved to a new hospital.

“We are therefore in discussion with colleagues at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust about the future organisation of this service. In the short term, the very small number of children who require radiotherapy will be receiving this treatment at University College Hospital, however, the remainder of their care is delivered with us in Southampton.”