Lung transplant patient Toni Harris has put a smile on a seriously ill tot's face after reading about his ruined dream in the Telegraph & Argus.

Joshua Turpin's family had hoped a children's charity would be able to fix it for him to meet his hero England captain David Beckham and be the team mascot - but was let down when FA football chiefs said no because he was too young.

The three-year-old, who is the size of an 18-month-old and needs a heart and lung transplant, was heartbroken even though the Make A Wish Foundation had tried their best.

Then the unhappy youngster suffered another disappointment when he got chicken pox and the family had to cancel a dream trip to Disneyland Resort, Paris.

Mr Harris of Langdale Avenue, who is also a huge Beckham fan, was so touched by Joshua's story that he decided to cheer him up by giving the little lad his prized framed montage of Beckham photos - one of them signed by the England skipper - that he bought as a treat for himself at a memorabilia fair.

"I really felt for him. All kids have a dream and deserve a chance to see them come true, especially when they're up against it like Joshua. If he can't meet Beckham, I hoped having something to hang on his bedroom wall would help make up a bit for the disappointment," he said.

Yesterday the Telegraph & Argus fixed it for Mr Harris to hand deliver the Beckham montage to a tickled-pink Joshua.

Joshua's delighted mum Michelle Byrne said: "Joshua's face lit up when he tore off the gift wrapping and saw what was inside. He was well made up.

"We're going to decorate his bedroom in England wallpaper and Toni's present is going to take pride of place."

Mr Harris, who is 42 and unable to work, has his own health battle to fight despite a successful double lung transplant nine years ago.

He was born with cystic fibrosis and by the time he was 33 his condition had wrecked his lungs so much that he needed life-saving surgery.

Tragically his youngest sister Jill, who also had cystic fibrosis, had a heart and lung transplant five years before his op but only lived six months.

Although his transplant was successful, it has not cured his cystic fibrosis.

"I've had to live with cystic fibrosis for all my life, I don't know any other way, I just get on with it and look after myself, I try not to let it rule my life," he said.

It was while he was a patient on the respiratory ward at St James' Hospital in Leeds a year before his transplant that he met his future wife Carol who was ward sister.

"She watches me like a hawk and I'm sure it's her careful eye that has helped me keep so well. I've a lot to feel lucky about and if I can help spread a bit of that luck to Joshua then I'm an even happier man."