A hospice has sent a hospice heart and bird to a six-year-old boy who lost his mother in a car crash.

Bobby lost his mother, Natalie Doherty, 33, in May after she died in a crash on the M66.

His school, St Mary's Haslingden, held a sponsored dance for Bury Hospice which raised £2,000, giving the school a heart on the hospice wall.

Headteacher Donna McNicoll, who has been a trustee with the hospice for five years, decided that the heart from the school would instead be in Natalie's name to 'keep her memory alive'.

The hospice has also sent Bobby a metal bird which the school are going to place by a rose bush for Natalie in the school's nature garden.

Bobby has also been invited to visit the hospice and see the 'wall of hearts' in September which will feature his mother’s heart.

Donna McNicoll said: "Anything that can keep Natalie's memory alive is special for him.

"He was really happy and is really excited to go to the hospice in September."

Bobby plays for Rossendale Valley Junior Football Club under 7s Pumas and after his mother’s death, friends and team mates set up a GoFundMe page which raised over £8,000 for the family.

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