WHEN their dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer, the Scraggs decided they were going to do whatever they could to help.

Freddie, Cole and Thomas have been working round the clock to make and sell thousands of popular loom band bracelets in a bid to raise money for Cancer Research UK after their dad, Kim, was diagnosed with late stage bowel and liver cancer.

And so far they have raised more than £1,200 by selling the bracelets, made from the colourful elastic bands wrapped together, to friends at school, family members and customers at a pub in Lowton.

The boys, with the help of mum Kath spend much of their spare time weaving together the bracelets in order to sell them for 50p each.

Mr Scragg, who recently underwent an operation to remove tumours from his stomach, lymph nodes, liver and bowel, said: “Kath has done tons, absolutely tons and my brothers and my mum are part of it now – we’re expanding it out.

“The thing I like the most about it is that it is only cheap loom bands put together, but people are willing to buy them which I think is fantastic.”

Nine-year-old Freddie said that the idea came from the boys ‘super nanny’ Barbara Platt, a friend of Mr Scragg who helps him and his wife look after the children.

Freddie then wrote a letter to customers at the Toby Carvery on the East Lancs Road which explains that his dad has cancer and asking people to buy their loom band bracelets so they can help him.

Leigh Journal:

The letter, along with a selection of the boys’ loom bands are for sale on the pub’s bar.

Mrs Scragg said: “We never thought we would raise this much. Our target was £200 and we’d hit that in the first two weeks.

“We are just going to see how long it lasts because it is just a fad. We will just keep going until then.”

The couple, of Newton Road, Lowton, fostered Freddie, 11-year-old Cole and Thomas, aged 13, five years ago.

“We would like to say thank you to the people at the Toby Carvery who have been absolutely brilliant and have let the boys sell their loom bands,” said 57-year-old Kim.

“They have been fantastically supportive and have been putting their tips in to support the cause and everything.”