Hiccups man has a brain tumour

Christopher Sands first started hiccupping in December 2006

A man who has been seeking a cure for his constant hiccups for two years has been told he has a brain tumour after having a scan for a television show.

Christopher Sands' condition was only discovered after he was flown to Tokyo by producers of the Japanese show.

Mr Sands, from Timberland near Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, has had problems sleeping and eating.

The 25-year-old musician has been told that he now needs urgent surgery to remove the tumour.

The Japanese TV show was meant to be light-hearted but last week Mr Sands was told he has a growth in his brain stem, a difficult place to operate on.

In a letter from the doctor from Japan, it says 'we need to get some treatment started as soon as possible to save this boy's life'

Christopher Sands

He said: "In a letter from the doctor from Japan, it says 'we need to get some treatment started as soon as possible to save this boy's life'.

"Those kind of words, they hit hard, they make me think, 'OK, so I do have a time limit'."

Mr Sands first started hiccupping in December 2006. The hiccups lasted two weeks but then returned four months later.

He plans to see a hospital specialist in England this week for advice on possible treatment for his brain tumour.

Hiccups normally happen when a person's diaphragm suddenly contracts.

American Charles Osborne holds the record for the longest ever bout of hiccups, which lasted for 68 years from 1922 until 1990. He was unable to find a cure.