THE story of nine-month-old Leo Burton, who is bravely fighting a rare form of cancer, has touched the hearts of people all over the country, including in and around Marlborough.

The courageous youngster, who has been nicknamed little lion, from Lympstone in Devon was diagnosed with the rare and aggressive form of the disease at just four months old.

Hannah Snowsill, of White Horse Way, Devizes, is best friends with Leo’s mum Abby after they met aged 19 studying occupational therapy at Oxford Brookes University.

She is also godmother to Leo’s big sister Hattie, three, and on Thursday she and Cath Poole invited the community to a coffee morning at Woodborough Social Club raising money for the family, who are currently in Oklahoma, America, as Leo receives proton beam therapy and gruelling chemotherapy.

The proton beam therapy is not yet available in the UK and is being paid for by the NHS along with very basic living costs for the ten weeks they are out in America.

Ms Snowsill, 38, a self-employed occupational therapist, along with her friends are trying to raise money to help Abby and Leo’s dad James with the expenses to make the heartbreaking situation more bearable.

“It become really evident they would really struggle to pay for their living expenses,” she said. “So we set up the Hands on for Leo website and GoFundMe page and it just went completely bonkers and raised money really quickly.”

Around 40 families attended and had fun at the coffee morning on Thursday, which raised £345 and included a visit from Dave and Ewe mobile farm, as well as crafts, homemade cakes, a raffle and baby sensory and sing and sign taster sessions.

Ms Snowsill, mum to George, four, and Martha, two, says she is overwhelmed by all the support from people in the area. She added: “So many local businesses have been helping, the Woodborough Social Club let us hire out the hall for free, and even though Leo is not from the area the public spirit has been amazing.”

To donate go to: gofundme.com/handsonforleo