Leon has a ball with Old Trafford heroes

A boy whose bucket-list holiday was shattered by a £30,000 insurance demand has met his Manchester United heroes instead.

Leon Rendle was heartbroken when plans for an action-packed trip to Florida’s theme parks had to be scrapped.

Insurers first refused to provide cover for the 15-year-old cancer sufferer, then hit him with the whopping five-figure insurance fee.

Now the desperately ill teenager has found his smile again after coming face-to-face with his Old Trafford idols.

Star struck Leon, from Lochend in Edinburgh, rubbed shoulders with Manchester United’s biggest names including Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney.

Players including Spain’s Juan Mata, Colombian star Radamel Falcao, goalies Anders Lindegaard, and David De Gea, and winger Antonio Valencia all queued up to meet the teenager.

Even United boss Louis van Gaal, 63, threw his arm around the amazed youngster and offered words of support.

“It was incredible,” said mum Nicky, 42. “Leon has been buzzing ever since. He never expected to come face-to-face with all these famous players.”

The trip was organised after her nephew Stephen Phillip wrote to Old Trafford officials, telling them about Leon’s battle with a rare form of Ewing’s sarcoma.

Family friend Jason Paterson, who runs a glazing firm in Edinburgh, made sure the young VIP arrived in true Manchester United superstar style in his sporty silver Porsche.

The incredible meeting with some of the world’s biggest football stars made up for the bitter disappointment of seeing his Florida dream slip away.

At one point Euromillions winner Jane Park, 19, from Niddrie in Edinburgh, had offered to foot the mammoth bill.

But too many conditions, including an £80,000 excess charge should anything go wrong, put Nicky and husband James, also 42, off making the trip.

“It was too stressful,” explained Nicky. “At one point they wanted us to list every single theme park ride Leon might go on.”

Still reeling from his Old Trafford trip, Leon later mingled with more familiar faces including ex-Scotland stars Andy Goram and Frank McAvennie as a guest of honour at a gala charity dinner organised by former Celtic star John Hartson.

Leon is becoming used to rubbing shoulders with football’s elite. He was treated to a kick-about with former England star Jermain Defoe, 32, during a trip to Canada last year and joined Hibs players as a guest of honour at the club.

But this was a boost before a trip to London for a ground breaking drugs trial using medicines never tried on humans.

“He can’t stop smiling,” added Nicky, who is also mum to daughter Chloe, 10. “It’s just what we all needed.”