HE has stayed on York Hospital children’s ward several times because of extreme tonsillitis and other infections - now an eight-year-old York boy has decided to help other youngsters with even worse conditions.

Elliot Bond, of Copmanthorpe, plans to run 15 miles from York to Selby to try to make children on the ward feel better and make them smile, and also to thank the staff for the care they have given him.

His mother Maxine said he started talking one day about other patients following his most recent stay on the ward, and said: “They’re a lot more poorly than me Mummy, aren’t they - that’s bad Mummy, will they be ok?”

She said: “He began explaining he wanted to make the children there happy, to have more toys, a teddy each, a snuggly blanket - something to help make them feel better or make them smile.

“He said he didn’t like seeing the children there poorly and wanted to raise money to get them things.

"He said: ‘Mummy do you think I could run to raise some money for them? I’m really fast! Can we do that?”

She said she asked him how far he would like to run and he replied: "From York to Selby!"

She said she would accompany him on the run on November 30, which she suspected would be a combination of sprinting, jogging and walking.

Maxine said Elliot had first been admitted to hospital with an uncontrollable high temperature as a baby, having suffered convulsions.

“As a new mum, this was terrifying but with the wonderful care from the doctors and nurses at the hospital, it was soon diagnosed to be tonsillitis and, with some antibiotics, a couple of days later he was able to come home.

“This has been a pattern that has occurred numerous times throughout his life now, where he’s become so poorly from tonsillitis, or an infected graze, or a bad virus that’s ended up covering him in an alarming rash - all of which have resulted in him needing that extra care from the York Children’s Ward and all their wonderful staff.

“Getting older he’s realised that he in fact was one of the very lucky ones on the ward and has witnessed children in far worse situations. I’m extremely proud of him.”

 To support Elliot’s run, go to www.gofundme.com/f/elliots-15-mile-run-for-the-kids