SCORES of Selby school pupils have worn red in support of a children’s heart surgery fund - as the brother of one of the youngsters recovers from a heart operation.

Baby Jude Curling’s nine-hour surgery on Wednesday went well and he is continuing to make good progress, his mother Rebecca said yesterday.

She is hoping he may finally be allowed home for the first time in the next few weeks after spending the first seven months of his life in hospital in Leeds.

Jude, who was born with a hole in the heart, has now been through three open heart operations as well as surviving three cardiac arrests, a heart infection, influenza and bronchitis.

Jude’s big sister Eve wrote to Jan Elcock, head teacher at her school, Longman’s Hill Primary in Selby, to ask if pupils could take part in the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund’s annual Wear Red Day yesterday.

The eight-year-old said in a letter: “My little brother Jude is in hospital and has been in a long time. They have saved his life and I would like to say thank you to them.”

The head agreed and wrote to parents to ask for their children to wear red clothing and make a donation to the appeal

Rebecca, of Hemingbrough, said that when she dropped Eve off at school yesterday, almost everyone was wearing red. “It looked great,” she said, adding that it was the same story at the Headstart nursery in Brayton, attended by Jude’s younger sister Nell.

Fund spokesman Andy McNally said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Longman’s Hill Primary and Headstart Nursery for wearing red.

“This is our annual flagship event, and the region’s schools and nurseries play a big part in raising donations each year.

“Jude clearly has an incredible support network around him, and Eve and Nell should feel very proud of how they’ve supported both their baby brother and our charity.”

He added that Switalskis Solicitors in York, Escrick C of E Primary School and Flutterbabies in Tadcaster were among other organisations which took part in the day, with donations going towards life-saving equipment and ward facilities for congenital heart disease patients at Leeds General Infirmary.