A grieving dad who lost his soul-mate to breast cancer faced further heartbreak after medics told him his son was suffering from a brain tumour.

Stephen Walder's partner Cathy Temple, died in January 2017 aged 33.

As well as dealing with the grief of losing his partner of 10 years he was also left to bring up the couple's four children on his own.

In addition their successful card business, which at one time employed 25 people, hit the rocks and had to go into liquidation.

Then on 29 May this year when doctors diagnosed his nine-year-old son Rueben with a malignant brain tumour.

Only around 10 children in the UK develop such a tumour every year.

Stephen, 38, said: "He's my eldest son, there was a certain devastation.

"You just want to give your right arm for him. You just want to do anything you can to avoid him being in any pain or suffering."

Cathy Temple and her son Rueben

Four weeks after being diagnosed Rueben, a pupil at Holmfirth Junior, Infant and Nursery School, bravely endured a seven-hour operation at Leeds Children's Hospital to remove the tumour.

Just two weeks later the family were devastated to discover the tumour had grown back and a further 10-hour one had to be performed. The youngster took a turn for the worse after the operation and was rushed into intensive care.

Stephen Walder
Stephen Walder

He bravely bounced back from the brink and while other young lads are enjoying the tail-end of the summer holidays Rueben is now set to undergo 30 sessions of radiotherapy which will then be followed by three to six months of chemotherapy.

But for Stephen and his new partner, Liz Robb, there's no time to feel sorry for themselves.

They have a total of nine children between them to care for, aged between two-years-old and 16.

And to show their gratitude to cancer charity The Candlelighters Trust, based in Leeds, which helps families get through such difficult circumstances, they are organising a special walk next month.

Liz said: "These guys have helped us beyond belief with grants, trips for the kids, plenty of hugs, cups of tea, a shoulder to cry on, talking therapy sessions for the family, amongst loads of other things.

"They offer so many things to keep us going, day in, day out."

The Warrior Mums Midnight Walk will take place on Saturday, 28 September, outside Holmfirth Holy Trinity Church and will finish nearly seven miles away in Marsden - where Rueben's mum used to live.

The aim is to raise £6,000 for the charity. Already 70 mums are taking part in the event which was organised by the mums at Holmfirth J, I & N. Already £400 has been raised.

Anyone who wants to help should go here

Stephen added: "The only way to try to get through this is to live in a kind of bubble - to focus on Rueben - and Candlelighters has helped us enormously and we want to give something back.

"Understandably, Rueben doesn't like hospitals but we just have to ride it out and hope for the best."