While most people were waking up to Christmas presents on December 25 last year, hundreds of servicemen and women in Afghanistan were thinking about three-year-old William Rhodes, thousands of miles away in Holgate, York.

When Major Dave Prew, of Strensall, was looking for a charity for troops in Afghanistan to support, WO2 Graeme Shepherdson, of Acomb, suggested fundraising for William, who suffers from a rare and life-threatening form of anaemia.

As a result, more than 300 British and American servicemen on Christmas Day took part in numerous hour-long spinning sessions on 100 bikes at Camp Bastion, while separate companies serving on the front line took part in their own cycling and rowing challenges, to raise about £9,000.

Back in York, they have now visited him at his home with the money raised.

WO2 Shepherdson, 38, who serves with 1 Yorks, said: “It was a good achievement to get their mindset away from where they were and to give William a bit of help and a chance in life. Some of the younger guys were quite touched by it and everyone was willing to help.” He said further fundraising challenges were planned by troops in Afghanistan.

William, who needs monthly blood transfusions, is likely to have serious health problems if he survives into his teenage years without undergoing a bone marrow transplant.

His parents, Ben and Caroline, hope to start genetic screening and IVF treatment to have another baby who could save William’s life.

They hope cells from the umbilical cord of a tissue-matched brother or sister will enable William to have a life-saving bone marrow transplant.

Mr and Mrs Rhodes, who say they have always wanted to have another child, feel they are in a race against time to have the treatment while William is healthy, as his monthly blood transfusions cause a dangerous iron overload in his system.

People from across York and the UK have helped in the bid to reach the £60,000 target to pay for the treatment and for William’s aftercare.

Mrs Rhodes said: “Myself and Ben would both just like to say how grateful we are for all the trouble they went to raise such a tremendous amount of money. They told us William was well known in Afghanistan – we feel so privileged that over Christmas they chose to help us all these many miles away.”