A fund to help poorly Hope Elliot has been closed after Sunderland Echo readers helped raise more than £118,000 to help the youngster.

Hope was born with a disfiguring illness that causes swelling to her face and head, and inside her face and throat.

The appeal has captured the imagination of the public so much that there have been two anonymous donations of £10,000 each, company cheques of £2,500 and hundreds of smaller donations.

The cash means five-year-old Hope can get the treatment she needs to help her start a more normal life.

It was originally an appeal to raise £35,000 for two life-transforming operations but once people saw her photo they were so touched by her plight that fund raising got under way in earnest.

Hope’s mum, Bernadette said: “I have cried and so have the people in the bank when they opened the letters and read them. A lot of the cashiers had tears just streaming down their faces and told me how sad some of the letters were.

“A lot of infirm people sent some beautiful letters, others had lost their children and then there were those who have children with a disability who can’t be helped. It makes me feel guilty in a way because Hope can be and their parents are sending money for her.”

Hope’s first operation to treat her cystic lymphovenous malformation is planned for March.

Thousands of pounds are still coming in and any cash remaining after Hope’s operations will go to help other children with facial malformations.

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