A family who decorated their house with festive lights for charities after their daughter was diagnosed with cancer have been shocked by claims they were pocketing the cash.

Michaela Cusden and her partner Dave Taylor set up the illuminations on their home on Kidlington's High Street to raise money for the Make A Wish Foundation and the Sargent Cancer Care for Children.

They decided to do it in aid of charity after Ms Cusden's 15-year-old daughter Rhiannon -- known as Annie was diagnosed with cancer.

Annie is 23 weeks into a two-year programme of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkinsons lymphoma cancer.

But despite the decorations being praised by many villagers, Ms Cusden was visited by a police officer who said he had been asked to check if they were raising money for a bona fide charity, following a complaint.

Police have not revealed who made the allegations.

Ms Cusden said her daughter Stacey, 14, had also been bullied at school, with pupils calling her a "scrounger" and accusing her family of raising the money for themselves.

Ms Cusden said a 12ft banner in her garden states to which charities the money will be given.

A sign next to a slot for people to make donations reads: "For those of you who know my daughter will appreciate how vital it is to continue to find a cure."

The lights are also in memory of Annie's close friend, 15-year-old Charlotte Blaine, of Kidlington, who died of cancer in November.

Ms Cusden, who also has a nine-year-old son Sam, said the incident had also upset Annie, who was taken to hospital a few days ago with an infection.

"This family is trying to run on a day-to-day basis, and at the moment we need all the help we can get," she added.

Zena Fermandes, of Sargent Cancer Care for Children, confirmed the charity had been approached by Ms Cusden.

She added: "We depend a lot on people like the Cusdens to help out by raising funds for us."

Jayne Watson, of the Make A Wish Foundation, said the charity was grateful to Ms Cusden for offering to raise funds for the organisation.

She added: "It was quite sad to hear she had had these sort of problems."

A police spokesman said they had an obligation to follow up any allegation of that kind, but that the matter had not been taken any further.