CARING kiddies from schools in Billinge have presented a cheque for £2,000 to the Marie Curie Fund to commemorate all those who have died of cancer in the area.

Last year more than 15,000 bulbs were planted by local schoolchildren at the Billinge Field of Hope in memory of cancer sufferers. The idea was the brainchild of Ella Carrasco of Douglas Avenue, Billinge, who approached St Helens Council requesting permission to create the field along Main Street following the tragic death from cancer in 1994 of her friend Pauline Tracey.

David Bielawski, borough principal grounds maintenance officer helped to make the request become a reality by mustering the council's gardens crew to help with the initiative.

As well as the planting project, the Friends of Pauline Tracey made house-to-house collections for the Marie Curie Fund, which resulted in the handover of the £2,000 cheque.

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