SIXTEEN former classmates of a York schoolboy who died of a brain tumour in 2014 are set to join a challenge to raise funds for the charity set up in his memory.

Oscar Hughes’ old friends from Dunnington Primary School will be amongst 187 children and adults who are planning to take part in a ‘5k inflatable run’ at Elvington Airfield on Saturday to raise funds for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity.

Charity manager Phil Martinez, who used to teach at Oscar's school, Dunnington Primary, said that back in 2015, he had organised a mud run in which many of the school's staff took part.

"The children were complaining to me in class, when they saw some of the pictures and heard some of the stories, that they wanted to take part," he said.

"I promised them I would organised something in the future, but never realised I would be doing it as the charity's manager!

"There are 16 of the class taking part - and they have raised £950 between them so far - plus a lot of current and ex-pupils from other year groups."

Lily Gray, who is one of the former pupils taking part, said all of Oscar’s friends had known him as funny, intelligent but most of all athletic.

"He loved sports and being active," she said. "Watching our close friend lose his life is something that will stay with us all, and we know if Oscar was here he would be running alongside us…well, he would be at the front probably winning it!”

Mr Martinez said the response to this weekend's event had been 'amazing.'

He said. “So many people have been inspired by Oscar’s story and the aims of the charity. There are a lot of stories involved in why people take part in charity events, but my ex-pupils and Oscar’s ex-classmates joining us is really special.

"They were a great bunch of children all the way through primary school, who had a lot to deal with at a young age – and they are showing that they are still a great group now.”

He hoped the event would raise £18,000 to help fund support and care for children with brain tumours, raise awareness of the disease amongst other schoolchildren and health professionals to help improve diagnosis as well as continue to fund research.

The Inflatable 5K, organised by UK Running Events and said to be the 'world's largest and best' inflatable obstacle course, involves 32 gigantic obstacles along the route, combined with five 'pumping music zones.'

*Anyone wishing to make a donation to Oscar’s classmates can head to their JustGiving Page at https://www.justgiving.com/team/Oscarsprimaryschoolteam."