WHALLEY residents are bidding to raise thousands of pounds for charity after being inspired by an eight-year-old with Cystic Fibrosis.

The Dog Inn will host a fundraising event on Burns Night in the New Year in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, which helps support people including Sophie Holgate.

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The youngster from Billington was diagnosed when she was eight-and-a-half months old and has to take 40 tablets every day as part of her daily routine.

Sophie, who attends St Joseph’s RC Primary School in Hurst Green, also has three intravenous drips a day and has just returned to the classroom after spending five weeks in hospital.

Her mum and dad, Andrea and Chris were forced to rebuild their house after Sophie contracted a fungal infection shortly after moving into the Neddy Lane property.

However she still struggles with illness and was forced to miss six weeks of school at the start of the year.

The Whalley pub, where Andrea, 40, used to work, has held a series of fundraising events since her diagnoses in support of the family and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Thousand of pounds have been raised through special events and online auctions on Ebay.

Now volunteers will be hoping to raise even more during a Burns Night celebration in January at the King Street pub.

Andrea said: “The level of support that we have got from the pub has been fanatic over the years.”

“It has been lovely to know that we have got people who support us and will help us if we need.

“The school has also been very good to us and has been really flexible with Sophie’s needs.

“I’m allowed to come in every day and look after her and change her IV drips which is so helpful.

“I clean 12 hours a week and I know most of them and they have also been very flexible so I can cut my hours if I need to if Sophie is really sick.

“It’s a rare day that she complains about what she has to go through and she’s just an amazing little girl.

“She just gets on with her life and tries not to get down about her condition.

“It’s lovely to get the level of support from people and everyone at the pub and I’m sure that the money that has been raised so far has helped a lot of people.”

Burns Night will be celebrated at the pub on Thursday, January 22, from 7.30pm and will include performances from the Accrington Pipe Band.