THE dream to swim with dolphins has moved a step nearer for leukaemia sufferer Karys Bolland.

The 11-year-old from Hampton in Evesham is to embark on a two-week trip of a lifetime with her family on April 6.

Her mum, Sharron said: "We leave Evesham on the Wednesday and fly out the next day. Karys is really looking forward to it and of course we are all getting very excited."

Karys' grandfather Derek Price from Oswestry is paying for the two week holiday to America which will take in Disneyland, then the family move on to Miami to go snorkelling and scuba diving.

Karys' father, Andy is a prison officer at Long Lartin and when colleagues heard of his daughter's illness they collected £1,000 for her to spend as she wanted. The Long Lartin Social Club and Residents Association, and Trinity - the singing duo Lin Watkins and Christine Banner, of Elim Christian Centre in Evesham also raised extra money for the Blackminster pupil to be able to swim with the dolphins while she is away.

Mrs Bolland said the cash meant she and her husband and other children Ellena aged 10, Nelson, aged seven, and Jack, aged two, could all go.

Karys was at a coffee morning at the Elim Christian Centre last Saturday to collect £472.33 from Andrew Watkins, manager of Trinity who raised the money in a series of concerts last Christmas.

It also marked the launch of the book of poems Life In Verse by Dorothy Mitchell who was on hand to sign copies for people who bought the book, the £220 proceeds of which went to the tsunami appeal and Children with Leukaemia to add to the £40 made from the coffee.