Trowbridge schoolgirl Elle Peacock raised more than £1,000 completing a swimming fundraiser in aid of Dorothy House which is caring for her terminally-ill cousin.

Elle Peacock, 10, a pupil at The Mead School, in Hilperton, swam 64 lengths raising £1,348.82 for the charity. Elle decided to fundraise for the Winsley-based hospice to say thank you for the respite care it is giving to her cousin Kate Scrivens, 32.

Friends Molly Cousins, 10, Megan Phelps, 10, Katie Chatfield, 15, and Greg Chatfield, 23, also took part in the endurance swimming charity challenge, which took place at Clarendon Swimming Pool, on December 15. In total, the group raised £1,700 for Dorothy House.

Elle said: “I wanted to do something for Dorothy House to say thank you for the help it is giving my cousin. I was really pleased when I finished the swimming and I’d like to thank everyone who sponsored me.”

Parents Jane and Derek Peacock, in Bellefield Crescent, are very proud of their daughter, who took it upon herself to organise the fundraiser.

Mrs Peacock said: “Elle is a very thoughtful and kind little girl who loves her cousin Kate and would do anything to make her better.

“Elle was doing the swim on her own to start with, but then she mentioned it to her friends who wanted to join in. Her dad is a builder and he rang round to all his trade friends and got sponsorship from them.

“Plus, we are members of Trowbridge Rugby Club and got a lot of sponsorship from the rugby lads.”