A 12-YEAR-OLD Worcester boy who suffers from epilepsy and has special needs swam 26 lengths in 15 minutes to raise money for Acorns Hospice.

Sam George, of Acacia Close, in Brickfields, hopes to have raised more than £100 following his sponsored swim on Wednesday.

He said he decided to do the swim in aid of the children's hospice, currently being built in Bath Road, Worcester, because he "wanted to help".

Sam (pictured), a pupil at Bishop Perowne School in Worcester, said: "I knew they were trying to raise money for the hospice and thought that it would be nice to help.

"I have been going swimming since I was about two years old and so I decided that I would get sponsored and raise some money for them."

Sam's grandmother Janet Cartwright said: "Sam is a sensitive lad and wanted to really help the hospice so we encouraged him to do a swim.

"He did very well and we are all very proud of him."

Sam will hand over the money to the hospice as soon as he has collected it all in.