A DAD has been blown away by the massive donation response after an ultra-rare tumour was discovered on his spine.

Pete Serghiou, 36, from Clacton, will be joined by his wife and children in America as he undergoes a special high-tech treatment for cancer after a huge outpouring of support.

He has struggled with back pain for the last five years, but doctors could not find anything wrong with him.

Eventually Pete’s legs went numb and he suffered a fall while at work in December, forcing him to push for an MRI scan.

He had the scan with a private doctor to avoid the long NHS waiting list – and it finally revealed a tumour on his back.

Doctors believed it was benign and an operation was set to remove it.

But a biopsy showed the tumour is life-threatening.

It was finally diagnosed as a spinal chordoma – a one-in-a-million form of cancer with no treatment in the UK.

Pete said: “We were all completely shocked when that diagnosis came back.

“We were led to believe it was non-cancerous until they got a closer look at it.

“Apparently it is a one-in-a-million cancer which they believe I have had for years without knowing it.”

A spinal chordoma is a slow-growing cancer, but is particularly difficult to treat due to its position near the spinal cord.

Once a diagnosis had been made, it was decided that Pete should head to Florida for proton beam therapy.

The treatment is paid for by the NHS – but the health service could not provide funding for Pete’s wife Hannah, daughter Amy, 11, and 17-month-old twin sons George and Theo to fly out with him.

Pete’s gruelling rounds of treatment will last for at least nine weeks, leaving them no option but to take the children with them.

Hannah set up an online GoFundMe page to help fund the trip and the family has been overwhelmed by the support.

The page had a £5,000 target and was quickly flooded with donations.

The current total raised is £5,220, through donations from 107 different people in just ten days.

Another donation of £5,000 was made to the family from a charity foundation called Do It For Donny.

Donny Patel was Pete’s best friend and best man, but tragically died of cancer two years ago aged 33.

He set up the foundation before he died to support good causes in the area, and now Donny’s dad has donated the cash to help Pete’s cause.

The money will go towards the flights and living costs for the family.

Pete added: “We are completely blown away and overwhelmed by the response we have had.

“It hasn’t been an easy time and the treatment won’t be easy, but it’s a relief to know that my family will be there with me.

“I have to beat this for my wife and kids.”

Wife Hannah added: “Thank you so much to every single person who donated.

“We can’t put into words how grateful we are. Now we can fully focus on Pete’s treatment and make sure this never returns.”

People can still donate at gofundme.com/2cav778

Kelsea Little, spokesman for the fundraising site GoFundMe.com, said: “We're touched by the outpouring of support for Pete and his family, and we wish them the very best during this difficult time."