A local lady, whose daughter and son-in-law were supported by The Sick Children’s Trust when their three day old baby began coughing up blood, has raised £285 for the charity as thanks for its support.

Jeanne Cookson, from Burnley, offered dog-sitting services to busy puppy owners throughout the summer in return for a donation for The Sick Children’s Trust and organised a fun-filled celebration party and raffle at a toddler group run at her local church to thank the charity for supporting her daughter Jen and husband Paul Colenutt.

At just three days old, Jeanne’s grandson George was rushed to A&E at Wakefield’s Pinderfields Hospital when he began coughing up blood in the back of his parents’ car. Although the doctors were able to stabilise George, an immediate emergency transfer was arranged to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI). Mum Jen, 30, watched on helplessly as the ambulance was forced to stop during the journey to give her baby a blood transfusion.

George was met by the paediatric and surgical team at LGI and was raced into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for a further examination. Although doctors assumed he had a gastro-intestinal bleed, they were unable to pinpoint the location, and struggled to stop the bleeding.