MORE than £1,200 has been raised by events held by people in Devizes for Lyneham toddler George Mitchell who has a brain tumour.

Two-year-old George of Lyneham has begun chemotherapy on the tumour which is embedded deep within his brain, but his parents, Fraser and Sophie Mitchell are raising money so that he can undergo a £75,000 pioneering operation in America.

David Hooper and Gaye Richards were so touched by George's plight that they organised events to raise money for him.

Mr Hooper, of Westview Crescent, Devizes, organised an Internet auction of football memorabilia which, together with donations from Devizes residents, has raised £822.

Gaye Richards, of Chivers Road, Devizes, who is a civil servant at RAF Lyneham, has so far collected £400 from a sponsored parachute jump and is hoping to raise another £200 for George.

Mr Hooper, 44, a former retained fire fighter, wrote to football club chairmen asking if they would donate items for an auction.

The items included a signed Swindon Town shirt which sold for £70, while a Manchester United shirt signed by goalkeeper Tim Howard was bought for £102.

A signed Manchester City shirt was sold for £64 and a signed football from Southampton Football Club raised £200.

The auction started off on the bid4sport.com website and then was conducted on eBay.

Mr Hooper said: "I would like to thank everyone who donated money and took part in the auction.

"I have given the money raised to George's father, Fraser, and he would like to pass on his thanks."

Ms Richards, who is also the physiotherapist at Devizes Town Football Club, took part in a tandem parachute jump at Netheravon airfield earlier this month.

Ms Richards, 48, said: "The parachute jump was fantastic. We jumped from 12,500 feet.

"The weather was good for our jump but just after we landed no more jumps could be done because the weather closed in so I was lucky to have done it."

She said: "I met George and his family for the first time the week after I did the jump and I was impressed because George was very inquisitive and boisterous."