A FOOTBALL team welcomed a special guest of honour ahead of a match at the weekend.

Braintree Town FC brought five-year-old Jacob Jones onto the pitch before their game against Colchester United on Saturday.

Jacob has been fighting high-risk neuroblastoma since he was two and has tragically suffered a relapse, meaning he is no longer eligible for the clinical trial in America that his parents Adam and Kerry were raising money for.

A consultant informed the family they do not expect Jacob to go into successful remission, but his family have not given up hope.

Community Iron manager Mark Sansom said: “I’m friends with Jacob’s uncle and I keep talking to him on a regular basis. He told me about his diagnosis, so we know he will go back into hospital very soon.

“He contacted me to say he’s at home, not in hospital, so we said let’s get him up and make him mascot.

“We took him to Wembley with us in May too when the under 11s from Lyons Hall we in the national finals, Jacob came with us as a mascot.

“It’s about doing as much as we can when we can to make his day.”

Jacob also went to Southend as match day mascot on Tuesday.

Visit solvingkidscancer.org.uk/appeal/jacob/ or text JAKJ88 and your amount £1- £10 to 70070.