Stroke survivor, 12, to be Luton mascot in final

A 12-year-old stroke survivor said he was really excited to be his team's mascot for the English Football League Trophy final at Wembley Stadium. Kayden Douglas-Imasuen, a Luton Town fan from Wootton in Bedfordshire, suffered a stroke during his third operation to remove a brain tumour, which left him with some paralysis and sight impairment. Doctors recently said he needed no more treatment after undergoing chemotherapy at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Kayden said he would give the Hatters "some good advice" when they met Stockport County on Sunday, 12 April, after they came from behind to beat Northampton Town 2-1 in the semi-final. He was having physiotherapy and music therapy at Keech Hospice when he got the opportunity to meet some of the Luton Town players. The club stayed in touch, which eventually led to him being asked to be the team's mascot.

It posted video on social media of Kayden visiting the dressing room. Kayden with his dad and mum, Jayden and Lizzy, who are also Luton Town supporters [BBC] Kayden said he was prepared for the noise of Wembley, and had got some ear defenders to drown out some of the chanting from fans. Kayden's mum Lizzy, a student nurse, said his brain tumour was spotted after he went to an opticians in August 2024.

This came after repeated visits to the GP, which she said did not spot the issue. "The optician did some tests. His eyesight looked like he was having a lazy eye," she said.