Garden revamp for Mountsorrel teenager with cancer

Matty Hatton found out his cancer had returned during the coronavirus lockdown

The mother of a teenager with cancer said they are "able to be a family again" after landscapers rebuilt their garden for free.

A scan during the coronavirus lockdown revealed Matty Hatton, 15, from Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, had two tumours on his brain.

It was the second time he had relapsed since first being diagnosed in 2016.

Two firms offered to carry out the project and revamp the garden to give Matty some safe outdoor space.

Rob Knapp, from Knappster Landscapes, said he was first approached by Matty's aunt, who said the garden's current state was stopping the family from having any outdoor life.

Mr Knapp said he wanted to help after recently losing a close friend to a brain tumour.

He spoke to the family about what they wanted - a patio and space for a hot tub for Matty - and along with CM Landscapes they got to work redesigning and rebuilding the garden.

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Those involved in revamping the Hatton family garden were "adamant" they didn't want paying

He said the work would have cost about £13,000 - but they did it all for free.

"Everyone was just adamant they wasn't going to take any money out of it or wages and just work for nothing," he said.

The unstable decking wasn't safe for Matty after chemotherapy left him unsteady on his feet

Matty's mother Alison Hatton said: "We have the best garden ever now.

"We've been out more in the garden in the last week than we have been in the last three years - we're able to be a family again and it's so beautiful."

Before the work was done she said the garden was "unsightly" and had unstable decking that wasn't safe for Matty to walk over.

Alison Hatton said the family had used their new garden more in the last week than in the previous three years

Throughout the pandemic Mrs Hatton and Matty's sister Molly have been running a Facebook page on Matty's behalf called Letters from the Lockdown.

He has received hundreds of letters and video messages - including some from high-profile figures like astronaut Tim Peake, comedian David Walliams and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy.

Mrs Hatton described it as a "whirlwind of excitement and happiness".

Matty said the help his family were getting was "amazing"

She said: "All these people that we don't know are supporting us and helping us with mammoth things."

Matty said it was "amazing" that people are coming out to help him.