A FUN day was held to raise money for a charity founded by a mother who lost her child to cancer.

The event was held in aid of the Grace Kelly Ladybird Trust, which Jen Kelly started after her daughter died from cancer.

The fundraising event took place on Saturday, May 20, at Bishop Perowne Church of England College, in Merrimans Hill Road, Worcester.

Ms Kelly, Grace’s mum, aged 34, from Crowle, near Worcester, said: “Today is a fun day to raise funds.

“We raised about £4,000 last year which was at Perdiswell youth centre. “We are getting awareness cards to children in schools. We have also released a £50,000 research grant funded by us.

“One in 500 children get cancer before 14-years-old.

“It’s the number one cause of death after accidents and no one knows.”

Chris Britt-Compton, Jen’s dad, aged 66, of Upton Snodsbury, said: “Events like this are so important.

“Jen will never get over it but she will get through it. Her way of doing it is raising awareness.

“The only way we can get proper funding for research is through awareness and funds.

“It’s already been debated at a committee in the House of Commons and has been all over the press. Something good has come of it.”

The fun day involved a tombola, a bouncy castle, a penalty shootout experience with Worcester City captain Danny Jackman, and variety of other activities.

Annie O’Dell, of Bolston Road, Worcester, aged 42, was volunteering on a candy floss stand at the event.

“It’s a really good charity. It’s amazing for her [Jen] to help others,” she said.

“Only a tiny percentage [of cancer funding] goes to childhood cancer cures and treatments.

“Children are different to adults, they need their own research. You don’t know how children’s bodies will react to treatment. “The funding gap is huge.”

Grace Kelly died weeks after being diagnosed with cancer in November 2014.