Father of three Pete Nash was refused the vital surgery to remove a mass of blood vessels from his brain by Dacorum Primary Care Trust who said the risks of carrying out the operation outweighed those of not operating.

But Mr Nash will now go into hospital on December 8 for treatment on his condition after a special charity fund set up by his family raised enough cash to go private.

The operation, with aftercare, could cost around £70,000 and in just two months fundraisers have brought in a massive £45,000 for Pete's fund.

Mr Nash's sons Ben, 14, and twins Peter and Lewis, 16, all took part in the Abbots Langley Tough Ten race and also carried out a sponsored bungee jump for their dad.

A special fundraising party at Hunton Park in Kings Langley earlier this month attracted more than 200 people and Kings Langley School organised a number of special events for Pete including a sponsored leg wax and a party to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid.

Mr Nash's condition, known as arteriovenous malformation (AVM), means he has a mass of blood vessels against his brain which could burst at any time causing paralysis or death.

Following reports on the decision by local health chiefs, Mr Nash and his family were contacted by a number of leading surgeons who discussed what would be the best course of action.

Mr Nash will now undergo two separate treatments in December to stabalise his AVM before having a final operation to remove it, hopefully in January next year.

Keep up to date with Pete's progress on-line at www.petesfund. co.uk

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