A CHEQUE for more than £16,000 has been presented to the Teenage Cancer Trust in thanks for supporting a York student with her fight against cancer.

The Teenage Cancer Trust helped to fund the specialist unit for teenagers at St James' Hospital in Leeds, where Becky Peace, from Copmanthorpe, underwent eight months of treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Now a graduate in her twenties, Becky and her mum Sue organised the Sunshine Ball at York Racecourse in aid of the charity .

Sue said: "Since [presenting the cheque] however we have received more donations from Lloyds Bank, the collection from the Christmas Productions from Carr Junior School and a few other kind people bringing the grand total to £17,225. I am absolutely thrilled.

"Half of the money has been set aside for funding and maintaining new much needed staff in the Leeds Unit and half has gone into helping to fund a new Teenage Cancer Unit so more young people diagnosed with this dreadful illness can have access to a unit thus increasing their chances of survival."

The pair are organising a second ball on October 15, 2016.