A NINE-year-old girl has raised hundreds of pounds for cancer victims after her own mum died after a battle with the disease.

A NINE year old little girl has raised hundreds for cancer victims after her own mum passed away following a battle with the disease.

Mia Armstrong asked members of staff and pupils at St John’s Primary School to turn up in their pyjamas on Friday to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Care after the charity provided support for her mum, Ged.

Mrs Armstrong died at the beginning of October after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer over the summer. The 44 year old mum of two had worked as canteen staff at the school for five years.

Mia said: “I wanted to celebrate my mum’s life. I wanted everyone to wear pyjamas because mummy liked staying in her pyjamas.”

Head teacher Helen Curtis described Mrs Armstrong as a valued and much loved member of staff.

She said: “The children’s reponses have been amazing. They have put their memories of Ged together in a book. They have written about how she used to serve them their puddings everday and used to help them make friends again if they had fallen out.

“She always gave them their pudding with a smile. They have given the book to Mia and her family, so Mia will be able to remember that everyone wanted to remember her mum.”

Mia has already raised more than �200 by selling purple wristbands promoting awareness of pancreatic cancer and hoped to raise the same amount for MacMillan Cancer Care.

Also on Friday, district nurses from the charity attended the school to talk about their work and a bench was unveiled with a plaque reading “In memory of Ged Armstrong.” It will be installed outside the library.

Mrs Curtis said: “Mia has been amazing. She has got such a strong family and group of friends. She’s really thrown herself into fundraising.

“The reason we have done it all this week is because it is pancreatic cancer awareness week.

“When her mum passed away Mia decided she wanted to do something to celebrate her life. She decided it would be best to do something at the end of pancreatic cancer awareness week. We have done this instead of Children in Need.”