CARING Oscar Alford, seven, raised £60 for a children’s cancer charity by drawing portraits after a classmate was diagnosed with cancer.

Oscar, a pupil at Lacock Primary School, started his campaign for CLIC Sargent last month inspired by a friend who had done a cake sale and decided to draw portraits of friends and relatives.

His mother Helen Alford, 36, of Woodrow Road, encouraged Oscar to choose a charity but he immediately knew he wanted to help cancer sufferers.

Mrs Alford, a teaching assistant at Oscar’s primary school, said: “A little boy has cancer in his class and it is just in his mind a little.

“His friend Edward was raising money. He was making cakes. He told me he wanted to do it. He said he wanted to help children with cancer.

“At first he wanted to sit outside on the front doorway and sell them there but I thought that maybe wasn’t the safest way of doing it.

“We made a JustGiving page and put it on my Facebook so then friends could go on to it through that."

Oscar is one of four children to Mrs Alford and her husband of 10 years Phil Alford, 38, a science teacher, from Melksham, who works at Clarendon School in Trowbridge.

Mrs Alford added: “He's the first one to do any charity work. To be honest I thought he might raise a little bit but he raised £60. I am really proud of him.

“I just thought it would be a nice thing to do. Better than his Xbox. We are hoping he will raise a little more and setting a target of £100 by Christmas.”

CLIC Sargent fundraising manager, James McDonald, said: “I am so thankful to Oscar for his brilliant idea to show off his creativity through art.

“There are around 10,000 children aged under 15 currently living with cancer in the UK. Eight in 10 will survive, but cancer remains the leading cause of death in children and young people in the UK.

“Oscar’s wonderful donation could fund a CLIC Sargent play specialist for four hours, to help children prepare for treatment through games and toys to explain what will happen to them.”

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people. They provide clinical, practical, financial and emotional support to help people cope with cancer.

To donate visit Oscar’s Just Giving page on www.justgiving.com/oscar-alford, leave an email address and Mrs Alford will respond.