STUDENTS helped support a youngster with a rare life-limiting illness with a non uniform day.

Youngsters at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College raised £475.99 with the event in aid of 11-year-old Kyran Richmond.

Kyran, a pupil at The Oaks Secondary School, Spennymoor, suffers from the neurodegenerative disorder Juvenile Batten Disease.

His brother Cameron, 15, is a student at the Ferryhill college.

His friend and fellow pupil Kieran McWaters, 15, approached the college’s student council to back the Kyran Richmond Fundraising scheme.

Student and council member Liam Fellows, 15, said: “It’s a local charity and there is also the college link with Cameron.

“It was decided it would be better to support a local charity rather than a national one.

“The non uniform day was a success and it’s good to raise such a large amount of money.”

Debbie Richmond, Kyran’s mother, said: “It’s fantastic that they have raised so much and that they decided to support Kyran.

“It is extra special that pupils at the college who know Cameron decided to help out too.”

Louise Edgar, the college’s business manager, said that Kyran was one of three good causes backed by the school this year.

She said: “We do like to support local charities and we wanted to raise as much as we could for this good cause.”

Kyran’s fundraising backs both his trust fund and the Batten Disease Family Association, which has supported the family and facilitates research into the condition.

To support it visit kyranrichmondfundraising.co.uk or search for him on Facebook or Twitter.