Hundreds of schoolchildren helped raise £1,300 for a children’s hospital after being inspired by their classmate’s story.

Last Friday (May 13), pupils at Theydon Bois Primary School took part in a 5km fun run raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh), which provides specialist care in London.

With a cake sale and a coffee afternoon for parents, £1,300 was raised to go towards Olivia Alderson’s family’s fundraising for the hospital.

Theydon Bois pupil Olivia, aged five, was just two-years-old when she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

Having faced two brain surgery operations and months of chemotherapy, Olivia has now received ground-breaking treatment from Gosh which dramatically reduced the tumour size and restored failing sight in her left eye.

Her family, led by mother Vicki Alderson, 32, now fundraise to help the hospital continue vital research and to care for other children.

Mrs Alderson also works at the school, and her colleagues joined a 32-strong team which ran the Race for Kids in Stratford on Sunday (May 15).

Having heard about the run inspired by Olivia her schoolmates were keen to do their bit, said Mrs Alderson, and the sponsored fun run was organised for last Friday.

Mrs Alderson, of Severns Field, Epping, said: “I looked at them all and thought ‘this is all for Olivia’.

“They all went to this much trouble because they know about her.

“It is lovely, their understanding of the things that other people have to go through.”

The money raised on Friday will now be added to Mrs Alderson’s online page, bringing the total to about £6,000 for Gosh.

“For a school that size, the money raised was amazing.

“We were chuffed, bearing in mind we had already had people sponsor us online.”

To donate to the fundraiser, visit justgiving.com/Teamoliviaalderson.