THE father of Skye Hall said he was “touched by the generosity of the Oxfordshire public” after a bowls club raised nearly £1,500 for their cause.

Skye was just five when he died on August 29 after battling a brain tumour for a year.

His parents, Andrew and Sally, set up the charity Blue Skye Thinking to fund research into alternative treatments to child cancers, after Skye was diagnosed with radio-chemo neurotoxicity.

It meant healthy cells in his brain and spinal cord were damaged by the traditional treatments of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

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Mr Hall, who accepted the cheque from Oxfordshire County Bowling Association last week, said: “It is clear that Blue Skye Thinking and the cause which the charity supports strikes a chord with so many people.”

The Abingdon teacher said: “We naively believed that children’s cancer would be well catered for in terms of funding.

“But through our long journey with Skye over the past year it has become clear to us that the majority of funding for research is made through charities such as Blue Skye Thinking and the donations of the public.”

Also father to Jesse, two, he added: “To date, children’s cancer treatments are adapted forms of treatment designed for adults and have serious consequences.

“It is absolutely the right time to help this research with the funding they so desperately need.”

Mike Andrew organised the bowls club’s collection, raising money in charity tins at every home match, during his time as president. The Mollington resident, 71, said: “I’ve known Skye’s parents for about eight years through Oxford Operatic Society and it touched my heart.

“I went to see Skye when he was home from hospital and I had on my presidential chain and we put it around his neck.

“He had a beam on his face that went from ear to ear. It was lovely.

“Apparently when he went back into hospital after that he was telling everyone he met the president.”

He said of the cheque presentation: “It was our AGM and my last day as president, so it seemed appropriate to hand over the cheque then.

“I’m a junior president at Bowls England now so I’m hoping to continue collecting when I go around the country for that.”

For information about Blue Skye Thinking visit blueskyethinking.org and to learn more about its Loom to the Moon campaign visit facebook.com/loomtothemoon

To donate, text LOOM66 £2 to 70070 or visit justgiving.com/skye-hall