HUNDREDS of pounds have been raised in support of a charity appeal launched after a little girl died from brain tumours.

Abbeycroft Leisure, which runs Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill Leisure Centres, has backed a fundraising drive for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) which was started by Bury St Edmunds police detective Paul Gant.

The 37-year-old, who is a member of Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre, raised £1,750 for the charity by completing a 4,000-mile trek across America last year in memory of his friend’s daughter, Ella Prouse.

Ella, who lived at the time with her family in Gedding, died from Ependymoma - brain tumours - aged six years old.

Abbeycroft Leisure has raised £516 for EACH by donating the proceeds of membership fees during December. Sue Bull, Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre manager, said: “We were very touched when we heard about Paul’s trek and why he was raising money for EACH so we wanted to support his appeal by raising more money through our 12 days of Fitness campaign where we donated all membership joining fees to the campaign. What Paul has achieved is incredible and I know he has the urge to go on his travels again very soon.”

Nikki Brown, fundraiser at EACH, said: “We are so grateful to Abbeycroft Leisure and Paul for their support of EACH. We simply cannot support local life-threatened children and their families in the area without help from people and businesses like them who care about helping their own friends, family and community.”