NINE-YEAR-OLD Rhys Lythell, who suffers from diabetes, led a team of 50 on a ten mile walk between London bridges to raise money for charity.

Rhys, who is a pupil at Seend Primary was joined by his mum Sian, headteacher Jackie Chalk, other pupils, friends and relations on the hike on Sunday.

So far Team Rhys has raised £4,000 for Diabetes UK. Mrs Chalk said: "Rhys' two older brothers Morgan, 11, and Owen, 13 also took part along with a younger cousin, children from the school, neighbours and friends.

"Rhys did really well proving that diabetes does not have to stop you leading a full and active life, if managed properly. Most people finished in about five hours. It was a great day."

The Seend team joined about 2,000 people taking part in the London Bridge Challenge which started near Battersea Bridge and finished at Tower Bridge. Along the way people had to cross 13 London bridges.

When the challenge was first announced earlier this year Mrs Lythell, who is a teaching assistant at Seend School, praised her son and said: "He has really been great. He has not made any fuss and just got on with his life.

“It was the head teacher’s idea to do the walk as she was looking for a challenge to do and when she saw this was for diabetes we thought brilliant.

“Now we just want to get on with it and raise some money to possibly find a cure or a way to make the disease more manageable for those who have it.

“There was absolutely no history of diabetes in our family at all that is why it was such a shock when he was diagnosed.”

For those who would like to donate go to www.justgiving.com/teams/teamrhys.