A midnight walk to raise money in memory of a young boy who passed away after a brave battle with cancer will take place tonight. 

The Thomas Ball Children’s Cancer Fund midnight dream walk, a six-mile walk from Great Missenden to Prestwood and back, is an annual event to raise money for the charity. 

Thomas began fundraising when he was just eight-years-old and on treatment for a childhood cancer known as neuroblastoma. 

He attended school in Prestwood and later The Misbourne school in Great Missenden before he died aged 14 in June 2003.  

During his short life Thomas picked up a Queens Golden Jubilee Award and a Lady Diana Memorial Award for his charity work in the community.

The money raised from the walk will be used so sick children can have a holiday either in one of the charity’s two lodges that they lease on the Hampshire coast or a magical three day break to Disneyland Resort Paris.

Elaine Ball, who is chair of the charity and Thomas’ mum, said: “Every year we hope for more volunteers - it’s hard when you are only a small charity, having said that, we are normally pretty lucky and we do get people turn up on the night that we weren’t expecting, so that increases the numbers and the amount of cash that we can raise.

“This year we have Sukh and Rimple Mehta taking part who run our local post office in the village.We are very grateful to all those kind people who are giving up their Friday night to support us, it means a lot to us in memory of Thomas who founded the charity.

"We have TGI Fridays High Wycombe and our local Prestwood Sainsburys donating the refreshments for the evening so this means more money will be raised to help the children who are all suffering from cancer”.

To sponsor the walkers, text HOUR24 and an amount to 70070. To join the walk, call 01494 890157.