FOR Tyler Stackhouse and his family, this year's summer holiday will be particularly special.
For it is the first time they will have been able to go away together, as four-year-old Tyler has been battling acute lymphoblastic leukaemia for the last 18 months.
Tyler, dad Jamie, one-year-old sister Alesha and mum Alex Haynes cannot wait for their trip to Ingoldmells, near Skegness, later this month.
His grandparents, Julie and Craig Haynes, will also join them to give Tyler's parents a well-deserved break.
Alex, 21, said: "This is our first-ever holiday as a family so it will be a really special time. I never thought we'd have the chance to do something like this because of how Tyler used to be when he was ill."
She added: "He's thankfully now a lot better and he's back on his feet. He starts school full-time in September which he's really excited for.
"The break is a great chance to get out of the routine and to do something different in a different place. We're so used to doing the same thing so this will be brilliant."
And for Alex and Jamie, having grandparents on hand to help look after the children mean they will be able to go out for a meal and a drink on their own together for the first time in years.
"It will be so nice to have a few hours alone," said Alex. "My parents will also love having Tyler and Alesha to themselves."
The family, who live on Nottingham Road, will be staying in a caravan park near to the Fantasy Island theme park which includes arcades and a mini dodgems.
The money for the holiday has been raised through a combination of local organisations making donations and family fun days.
The family had originally planned to visit Flamingo Land in Yorkshire but it was fully booked.
And the couple are already looking to the future, with a trip to Spain on the cards when Tyler is fully recovered.
Alesha was only a month old when her brother was diagnosed and the family had to be apart as Jamie spent three months at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham with Tyler, leaving Alex at home with their new baby.
Now Tyler is on the road to recovery, Alex is enjoying watching the siblings bond and get along together, making up for lost time.
"It's so nice to see Tyler and Alesha get along, especially now he understands who she is, and they'll have a great time on holiday," she said.
"Things have been a lot easier over the past few months and I think we really deserve this break.
"We just want to have some nice weather for it now."
