Pupils at a York school are joining the campaign to raise money for multiple sclerosis sufferer Yasmin Heesom to send her on a transatlantic bid to escape her crippling pain.

Year Ten pupils at The Mount School are supporting their fellow pupil Bella, daughter of Yasmin, in raising £10,000 to send her mum to New York, where she hopes complimentary therapy at the Schachter Centre can ease her condition.

Evening Press readers, friends and neighbours have joined the campaign, taking the total to £2500 to date.

The girls are organising a sponsored balloon race in May which will hopefully raise hundreds of pounds for the appeal.

Vivien Moon, form teacher, said: "The girls are selling the balloons for £1 a go and we have 400 pupils in the junior and senior school so that makes a good start. Then there's parents and aunts - so we are hoping to raise a lot of money."

Class prefect Christiane Eaves, 15, said: "We're really pleased that we can do something to help Bella's mum."

Bella added: "It's great that everyone is helping. My mum is thrilled and thinks a balloon race is a lovely idea.

"All the balloons will be purple because my mum's yoga teacher said it was a healing colour."

A prize will be given to the person who sponsors the balloon which goes the furthest. Mrs Moon added: "Sometimes the helium balloons can end up abroad so it should be interesting to see where they are returned from."

Bella's classmate Charis Campbell, 15, is also going to be busking in the Coppergate Centre during her Easter holidays to raise money for the appeal. She said: "I think it will be quite nerve-wracking but I'm glad to be doing something to help."

Debbie Walker, the appeal organiser: "We're well on the way to raising the total. I'm really excited that all the kids in Bella's class want to do something to help Yasmin go to New York."

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