A PAIR of talented schoolgirls treated shoppers to a musical extravaganza when they busked for a charity close to their hearts.

Marina Gears and Parisa Shariati, also known as Those Two Girls, took to the streets of Thornaby in support of the Butterwick Hospice.

It is part of a fundraising drive by the Egglescliffe Comprehensive School pupils to say thank you for the hospice’s support following the death of Marina’s dad, Tony in 2010.

“Butterwick is a very important charity to us,” said the 16-year-old, of Stillington, near Stockton.

“The help and care they gave my dad and my family was amazing. They made him feel comfortable and made it easier for us.”

Parisa, 16, of Ingleby Barwick, added: “Butterwick is very close to both our hearts. Marina’s dad was our brilliant head of drama at Egglescliffe School before his untimely passing three years ago. The staff of Butterwick Hospice were a constant help when the family needed them.

“Then sadly, a year later, my very close friend also needed the comforting support of the hospice in the weeks before he died.”

Father-of-five Mr Gears was diagnosed with a malignant tumour of the jaw bone in January 2005 and later underwent a 14-hour operation.

But in spring 2009 his cancer came back in his lungs and he passed away on June 25, 2010.