A MESSAGE of thanks from a four-year-old Washford boy - for the help a Minehead charity has given to his cancer-stricken family - is this week flashing from one of London’s tallest buildings.

Oscar Laskey’s message is one of 12 thanking the family support charity Home-Start UK which is being displayed from the top of the 581-foot-high BT tower every day until next Friday (December 17).

Home-Start chief executive Peter Grigg said: "We are absolutely delighted that our corporate partner BT has been able to help us share the real meaning of Christmas - simple pleasures, support, friendship and kindness."

Oscar wrote his Christmas message of thanks for the help carers from the West Somerset’s Home-Start base in Alcombe have given to his family since his mum Emma was diagnosed with incurable cancer.

His message, flashing across London in giant blue letters, says: "Our volunteer reads me dinosaur books."

Emma said: "It’s lovely knowing Oscar’s message is lighting up the BT Tower. Home-Start has really made a difference to us, so if we can help raise awareness about their amazing volunteers, that will be brilliant.

"We appreciate everything they’ve done for us and for me personally. They also provide Oscar with activities we can do together, giving me back part of my role as a mum that I’ve lost so much of through my illness.

"My kids are worried about me - something no mum wants to see. Oscar sees his mum in bed more than anywhere else. It breaks my heart.

"Home-Start’s support has made such a difference to my family and helped us as we guide our way through the carnage my cancer has caused."

Emma, a support worker before her illness, added: "There are days when I don’t feel I can be a proper mum to Oscar but with Home-Start’s support we’ve found ways to work around it. Oscar now sits on my bed and we do arts and crafts or reading. It’s given me back a little bit of being a mum.

"There is no cure to my cancer. There’s no magic wand to make everything better. I am now focussing on being as well as I can be before I start the next round of treatment.

"Life has given my family a tough path, but support from Home-Start is helping us find our way through."