THE SECOND of four Romsey boys needing a life-saving bone marrow transplant will next week go into hospital for stage one of his vital treatment.

Eight-year-old Daniel Hartley will travel to London's Great Ormond Street Hospital on Wednesday for his pre-transplant appointment.

In just a few weeks time he'll receive a bone marrow transplant from a mystery 37-year-old woman, one of thousands of people who responded to an appeal to join the donor list to help the Hartleys.

The transplant is the only cure for X-linked Lymphoproliferative disease (XLP), one of the world's rarest genetic disorders that affected Daniel as well as his three brothers Joshua, 12, Nathan, 10, and four-year-old Luke.

Dad David, of Winchester Road, Romsey, told the Daily Echo: "Daniel has to have seven or eight tests to check everything from his hearing to his blood. It's really the start of the process and after next week the hospital will start contacting the donor and arranging a date."

The critical operation is due to go ahead at the end of October - but the actual date is likely to remain a secret in case it helps the mystery donor work out who the recipient of the bone marrow is.

Under medical rules, the donor and recipient are not allowed to know each other's identities until two years after the operation.

Romsey School pupil Joshua received his transplant from mum Allison earlier this year - and has been recovering at home now for 14 weeks.

David said: "Joshua continues to do well, with some sickness still.

"We've just got back from the clinic in London and they are pleased with the progress he is making. He has put on a little weight, although there's still some way to go."

Joshua has to remain in semi-isolation at home, while his immune system rebuilds itself, until the beginning of next year.

ALL four Hartley brothers received one of the highest children's TV accolades this week when they were each sent a gold Blue Peter badge.

The honour was for their hard work and bravery in fronting a nationwide appeal to encourage more people to join the Anthony Nolan Trust's register of bone marrow donors.

Dad David said: "Joshua is a massive Blue Peter fan and he's really pleased. They had them sent out the same day Olympic winner Kelly Holmes received hers."