A trip to the opticians saved a 16-year-old’s life after a check-up revealed he had a brain tumour, despite a doctor telling him he was suffering from migraine.

Jayden Powell, from West Malling, complained to his parents that it felt like he was being stabbed in the head during a six-week long struggle with headaches.

Medics ruled out problems with his sinuses and teeth, but when the pain became too much to endure he was rushed to Maidstone Hospital.

He was sent to the out-of-hours service, where he was told he had a migraine and was prescribed tablets.

The family was also advised to take the former Aylesford School pupil for an eye test – little did they know it would save his life.

The optician at Larkfield Tesco spotted abnormalities and immediately sent Jayden back to Maidstone Hospital where a scan revealed a 4cm by 4cm tumour.

He was transferred that night – on Saturday, February 18, to King’s College Hospital and underwent a seven-hour operation to remove the growth.

Dad Steve said: “Tesco opticians saved my son’s life. If he never had the operation he was going to die.”

Jayden is still recovering in hospital and has temporarily had to put on hold his dreams of starting an apprenticeship with his dad, a film set construction worker.

Mr Powell said: “His face looks like he has gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.”

The family has complained to the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, which commissions the IC24 out-of-hours service, about the care he received.

Mr Powell, a father-of-three who lives in London, said: “A tumour was pushing the brain to his right side. He was saying it was like someone digging knives into his head on his left side.

“He was a normal 16-year-old, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t drink and plays on his Xbox. He was going white and getting black eyes and Jayden’s mum knew in her heart it was a tumour.

“I cried my heart out. It changes your life. A 16-year-old boy with headaches for six weeks doesn’t happen. They could have lost someone their life.

“We put a complaint in and they said it would be investigated.”