CANCER DRUG FIGHT DAD DIES, EVEN AFTER LYING TO GET TREATMENT

A former soldier who bravely took on penny-pinching NHS bosses in his fight against terminal cancer has died, aged 37. Mark Bannister's wife has revealed how her husband was forced to LIE to doctors in order to get the life-prolonging treatment he had been denied due to a cruel postcode lottery. But after wasting six months of precious time trying to obtain the drug Avastin, Mark's cancer was too advanced for the medicine to have any effect. The dad-of-two succumbed to the brain tumour he had been battling for nine years at around 6am on Monday morning, with his wife Karen, 33, at his side. In tribute to her husband, who served in Northern Ireland and Bosnia during nine years in the army, grieving Karen said: "The Avastin didn't have any effect but we had to fight for six months in order to get it. "In all that time his tumour had been growing. In the end, he had to claim that he was living at another address in order to get the treatment. Who knows what would have happened if he had got the drug sooner - I truly believe it would have helped him.

Other great stories
ABANDONED PLAZA HOTEL

The beds are consumed by moss instead of customers at this abandoned hotel .

'GO JUMP OFF A CLIFF' - GO COMPARE BILLBOARDS BEING DEFACED?

At first glance it might look like someone has taken their revenge on the makers of those infuriating insurance ads .

BOY SURVIVES NEAR-FATAL ALLERGIC REACTION TO EPILEPSY MEDICATION

A little boy was left fighting for his life in hospital after a horrific allergic reaction to epilepsy medication made his skin fall off in chunks .

ONE HUMP OR TWO? CAMEL ENJOYS BREAKFAST WITH FAMILY

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and for this greedy camel he can't get enough of his morning feed, as he gate crashes his owner's mealtime .

WOMAN WEARS SAME TEE FOR A YEAR FOR DAUGHTER WHO CAN’T SPEAK

A mum-of-two has worn the same t-shirt for an entire year to raise awareness of a 1 in 7 million condition that prevents her daughter from talking .

MUM LOSES 10 STONE AFTER SON ASKS IF SHE’S PREGNANT

A mum-of-three lost 10 stone after her son asked if she was pregnant .

IT'S RAINING DOGS

WITH THE WIND blowing through their fur, you'll believe a dog can fly in these hilarious images .

CANCER SURVIVOR STARTS STYLE BLOG FOR COLOSTOMY BAG WEARERS

A woman who battled aggressive bowel cancer has started a fashion blog offering style tips for those living with a colostomy bag .

BIRD FISHING

DIVING down at a speed of 75mph, this is the moment a hungry osprey caught his prey .

STREET FIGHTER CRAZE SPREADS TO LONDON

THE CRAZE for mimicking the video game Streetfighter has spread to the streets of London .

SPECTACLED BEAR IS CHRISTMAS STAR ON ZOO’S TREE

Most people have an angel at the top of their Christmas tree, but one bear at Chester Zoo decided he wanted to be the star of the show .

PUPPY RUN OVER BY TRAIN GIVEN NEW LEASH OF LIFE

A tiny puppy who lost his front legs after being hit by a train has been given and new LEASH of life with a set of wheels .