A brave toddler is continuing to fight off a rare illness which killed his five-year-old brother, despite little progress in finding a cure.

Two-year-old Aidan Whitworth from Liversedge suffers from eczema, food allergies, asthma and bowel problems. Doctors still do not know if the condition is genetic.

His brother Richard died of the same illness in September last year after collapsing with breathing difficulties at his home.

Aidan has a special feeding tube inserted in his stomach and is only allowed to eat potatoes, swede, green beans, carrots, peaches, pears, apricots and a milk substitute.

His mum Lorraine, 34, who also has a ten-year-old daughter Frances, said: "Aidan is not getting any better and still gets very tired but he is coping much better. I think it is partly because he is older and understands more about what he can and cannot have. He only weighs 8.5 kilos, which is half the weight of other children of his age.

"But Aidan looks much better since being on the milk substitute because his body doesn't have to use as much energy to break down the food.''

She said her son had become a bright, alert youngster compared with a few weeks earlier when he used to sit around because he had so little energy.

"Aidan loves playing with his friends, having books read to him and behaving like a typical naughty two-year-old.

"He ripped the baubles off the Christmas tree and tore the tape in the answering machine to bits,'' laughed Mrs Whitworth.

And the family, including Aidan's father Stephen, are now looking forward to spending a week in Portugal over Christmas.

Mrs Whitworth said: "We thought about spending Christmas at home but decided we wanted a break. We are really looking forward to it.''

In September the Whitworths spent two weeks in the Grand Cayman Islands after saving up for the holiday.

And in June Hartshead Football Club, saddened by the family's plight, paid for two days at EuroDisney in Paris. The Whitworths chipped in about £500 to pay for two extra days.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.