THE appeal to help sick York schoolboy Oscar Hughes has raised more than £27,000 - with support coming in from as far away as Australia, the USA, France, Malta and Denmark.

Now a series of events is being planned by well-wishers from his home village of Dunnington to keep the campaign on track for its £150,000 target.

As The Press has reported previously, the nine-year-old has suffered a relapse in his recovery from a brain tumour, with cancer cells found all over his brain and spine.

Doctors have said his condition is incurable but his family hope to raise £150,000 to fund a possible journey abroad for him to take part in promising research and clinical trials.

The total raised on the fundraising website http://www.gofundme.com/fightingforoscar had reached £15,000 by yesterday lunchtime, with another £12,000 in a bank account set up before the website was launched.

More than 50 well-wishers gathered at Dunnington Sports and Social Club on Sunday and agreed to press ahead with three fundraising ventures:

* All primary and secondary schools in York are being asked to stage a non-uniform day in aid of the appeal on May 9, with pupils asked to make a voluntary donation of £1 to wear ordinary clothes. Those unable to do this are being asked to conduct some other fundraising activity.

* A golf day is to be staged at Sandburn Hall on May 30, featuring teams of four. Anyone wanting to taken part should email contact@fightingforoscar.com.

* Dunnington Scouts and Guides are to take part in bag-packing at the tills at ASDA Monks Cross on Saturdays throughout May.

Oscar's mother Marie said his story was 'spreading throughout the world' and, from a village youngster called Harry selling cupcakes to larger corporate donations, her family was really touched.

She said Oscar was very sleepy at the moment because of strong medicines and on a Sunday she missed the mad rush of getting him ready for two games of football and then off to some tennis tournament somewhere. "We keep talking to him about those times to keep things as positive as we can. Thank you all for donating. It will mean a lot."