JAMES McKay popped into hospital for tests when he could not see out of one eye, hours later he was rushed back by ambulance having been diagnosed with leukaemia.

This June 24-year-old James from Winton was happily working as a hairdresser in Chop barbers' shop when one morning he woke up and found he could not see out of his right eye.

He went to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and doctors found a blood clot in his eye. They ran some tests and discovered chronic myloid leukaemia.

Former Ferndown Upper School pupil James said: "The doctors told me that I must have had it for years and not known about it. They don't know what caused it. Hearing I had leukaemia was pretty daunting. I did not know what was going on.

"My mum is living in America at the moment so she had to fly back to be with me."

James had to give up work.

He said: "I think that most of my clients find the idea of a hairdresser who can't see out of one eye pretty scary. I did try and continue work but I was just not quick enough."

Now he is thinking about going to Bournemouth and Poole College to study interior design.

He said: "If I can't work I may as well try and better myself."

James has been put on a clinical trial for a new kind of leukaemia treatment.

He said: "I have to take a tablet every day and will do for the foreseeable future. It is not a cure but it is suppressing the problem. The trial has been running for eight years so it should work for that long but beyond that they just don't know.

"The only way they know how to cure it is by a bone marrow treatment but as I don't have any brothers or sisters I have been put on a database and I have to wait and see if they find a donor."

James has bravely decided to do a sponsored parachute jump to raise money for the Westbourne-based Youth Cancer Trust.

He said: "I wouldn't exactly say that having leukaemia was a blessing in disguise but it has made me do all things that I have wanted to do such as this skydive. I am excited about it and also pretty nervous.

"I think what the Youth Cancer Trust do is brilliant, it is really superb."

Anyone who wants to sponsor James can visit justgiving.com/ leapofaith and anyone who wants to join him on his skydive can contact Julie from the charity on 07932 154544.