BRAVE youngsters touched by cancer gathered yesterday for the annual party of the Katie Trust, a North-East cancer charity.

Each year since its formation in 1999, the Katie Trust has held a party for children either being treated for cancer or in remission. A group of 50, including brothers, sisters and parents, were invited to the party, which was held at the Civic Theatre, in Darlington, for a performance of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The youngsters, aged between seven and 11, were also treated to lunch and a backstage tour.

Martin Neal, Katie Trust chairman, said: "Any youngster who has had cancer will have endured a very traumatic time - but there are some very brave kids out there. It is an incredibly difficult time for the family too, so it is rewarding to offer something of a pick-me-up to people who really deserve it."

The Katie Trust was launched three years ago in memory of Redcar schoolgirl Katie Neal, who died at the age of six after a long battle against a brain tumour.