THERE is certainly no shortage of Christmas spirit at Pimblett's the Bakers in College Street, St Helens!

For kind-hearted staff and customers have been so moved by the plight of two-year-old Joe Matthews from Parr that they have raised £2,000 for Zoe's Place who have given Joe and his family great support.

Toddler Joe, whose father Clive is bakery manager at Pimbletts, has had seven operations and a heart attack in his short life.

Clive, who has worked at Pimbletts for 21 years, takes up the story: "Joe was born 15 weeks premature and was only 1lb and 10 oz. Since then he has been through an awful lot including a heart attack when he was just six months old. He was 'dead' for 30 minutes before they restarted his heart and thankfully there have been no ill effects. "However, Joe cannot breath for himself and uses a tracheotomy tube and he is fed through a tube in his stomach.

"Zoe's Place in Liverpool is a baby hospice where Joe goes for respite care and they have been marvellous to my wife Gillian and I. They care for any special care babies and children from birth to aged five and give respite care for their parents.

"We have raised £2,000 in two months through collection boxes and selling badges in Pimbletts and there is still nine months of fund-raising to go.

"Gillian, our five children and myself, would like to thank all Pimbletts staff and customers for their generosity in helping us to raise this money."

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