Students at Sarah Bonnell School were inspired to raise over £2,000 for a teenage cancer charity after two of their former classmates survived the illness.

Young women at the school in Deanery Road, Stratford, cooked up a storm with a group of Year 11 leavers, two of whom had beaten cancer, who returned especially to fundraise for the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) on Friday July 5.

They were allowed to wear their own clothes - and some girls were particularly comfortable in onesies - and the students sold 200 cupcakes in just 20 minutes along with TCT badges and wristbands.

In total, the students raised £2,217.43.

Kalida, a former Year 11 pupil, said: “This fundraising event wasn’t held just for the sake of it.

“It was to send out the message to teenagers that no one is to face cancer alone and death isn’t an option.

“This can be beaten with our help and support.”

Current Year 11 Tasmina said: “Being part of the event gave me a feeling of overwhelming happiness, excitement, and joy and it was a pleasure to be part of the team of people who took part.

“My favourite part of the event was decorating the cakes that we sold at lunch time, and approaching teachers and students to explain why this event was going on and what the purpose of the event was.”