A SPORTY York teenager who was found to have a brain tumour is on the road to recovery - because he took his mum's advice and went to the doctors.

Ian Calpin, 19, who lives with his parents, Martin and Elaine, in Burnholme Avenue, Heworth, is now urging all men to forget their male pride and get any symptoms checked out by their GP - a message currently being promoted by Men's Health Week, which runs until Sunday.

Rugby player Ian, who also plays cricket and football, was suffering from dizzy spells for several months before Elaine urged him to go to his GP.

It was thought he was suffering from hearing problems, which affected his balance, but he was referred to York Hospital for a scan to confirm the diagnosis.

However, the scan showed that Ian in fact had a brain tumour at the back of his head close to his spinal cord, which would almost certainly have proved fatal.

Five weeks ago the non-cancerous tumour was removed at Hull Royal Infirmary, and although Ian currently has problems with his sight and mobility, he is working hard towards a complete recovery.

The whole family, including brother Philip, are full of praise for the doctors and nurses that treated him, and they are planning to raise funds for neurological research.

Ian said: "I don't know why I didn't go to the doctor before. I got told to go to my GP by my mum.

"It's weird now because I can only use one eye at a time and my walking is awkward, so it's strange to go from being totally fine to being like this.

"I wanted to go into the Army, but then I found out about this and it all depends on whether I get my sight back fully.

"But I'm glad that the doctors were so great. People have said that at least I am still here, which is true.

"I would say definitely: Go to the doctor if there is anything at all wrong."

Ian's mum, 49, said the doctors and nurses went out of their way to help the family get through the ordeal.

She said: "The NHS has been absolutely fantastic. Ian has been wanting to go into the Army so we were going to pay for the scan to get it out of the way, but then the appointment was brought forward.

"Unfortunately, they found he had this tumour, but the surgeons, the nurses and the care Ian received at Hull, and in York, were all brilliant - we couldn't have had better."

Updated: 09:21 Thursday, June 12, 2003