A SPECIAL friendship between two children has inspired a town to give generously to help one of them face a terminal cancer diagnosis head-on.

Max Pedelty and Emily Shutt grew close when they were both being treated for leukaemia at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, in Newcastle.

Five-year-old Max, from Willington, County Durham, is in remission but Emily, six, has been given a terminal diagnosis.

Her parents Helen Johnson and Martyn Shutt, from Workington, Cumbria, hope a drugs trial will save or at least improve the quality of her life.

She has been offered the treatment by Great Ormond Street hospital which will hopefully begin later in the year.

It could cost her family £20,000 to travel and stay in London for at least six months whilst she is there but, thanks to Emily’s bond with Max, they do not face that daunting prospect alone.

Max, who has Down’s Syndrome, and parents Trevor and Mandy held a family fun day at Willington Methodist Church in aid of Emily.

Mrs Pedelty said: “They went through treatment together and the families supported each other, we were a ward four family- Emily calls Max her little Maxi.

“People fell over themselves to help Max and now we want to do what we can to help Emily and her family, the day was superb and we’ve got more planned.”

The event included fairground rides which the duo enjoyed along with Emily’s brother Alfie, eight, and Max’s siblings, Joe, eight, and Mollie, 17.

It raised around £3,000 which included a donation from a man who walked into church and wrote a cheque for £50, saying he had walked the same road, and left without giving his name.

Miss Johnson said: “The community spirit in Willington and the generosity people have shown was incredible, we were blown away.

“The effort people made and the kindness they showed brought a tear to my eye, we hope this can give Emily a lifeline.

“Any money we do not need will help other individuals struggling because of this horrendous disease.”