CHILDREN from North Petherton Primary School have helped raise more than £1,000 in support of fellow pupil Sophie Holt, 4, who is battling leukaemia.

A total of 13 children from reception and 20 parents took part in a mini three peak challenge last weekend, trekking up Burrow Mump, Glastonbury Tor on Saturday, February 10 before taking on rain, wind, sleet and snow to traverse Cothelstone on the Sunday.

The fundraising event was organised by Vicky Keirle, whose daughter attends the school with Sophie.

"It has been an amazing weekend and despite the weather the children had a ball," Vicky said.

"On Friday evening my phone didn't stop beeping. Our fundraising efforts were boosted by a £250 individual donation and from that moment it was like everyone was pushing to try and get us to £1,000," she said.

However it did not stop when the target was hit on Saturday morning and the fundraising total has now reached £1,170, and Vicky says there are still handwritten sponsorship forms to be added to the total.

The money will go to Love Musgrove to provide items, equipment and training to benefit patients, visitors and staff. Sophie has spent a lot of time in the children's ward at Musgrove Park Hospital since being diagnosed when she was two.

Sophie's mum Nicola Perry said: “I was really touched when Vicky came to me to ask me if it was okay to do a three peaks challenge to raise funds to support Sophie."

Sophie was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia on May 26, 2016. She is on course to finish maintenance treatment on August 31 this year and, until then, continues to have regular chemotherapy.

Nicola added: “She’s been incredibly brave and continues to smile through the hardest of times.”

For more information or to donate visit Vicky's Just Giving page justgiving.com/fundraising/vicky-keirle.