Friends of a girl who vowed to help sick children from her hospital bed have rallied round to help her mission.

Four years ago Alice Halstead was diagnosed with a rare form of diabetes and was granted a wish from children’s charity Rays of Sunshine.

Now a special ambassador for the organisation, she has raised more than £28,000 and her friends have boosted the total by more than £1,000.

The group of eight girls, including Francesca Smith from Addingham and Akriti Naraen, of Ilkley, completed the Yorkshire Three Peak challenge to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime trip for a child with a serious illness.

Alice, of Embsay, was admitted to hospital four years ago because of extreme fluctuations in her blood sugar levels.

Doctors discovered her body produced antibodies to insulin and a two-week stay turned into more than three years before the condition was stabilised.

Rays of Sunshine paid for her to travel to see the Lion King and have her first night away from hospital in three years.

Around 20,000 children in the UK live with a serious or terminal illness. Wishes granted by Rays of Sunshine cost between £500 to £6,000 and range from visits to Disneyland to swimming with dolphins.

Alice’s friends hope to raise £1,500 for a child to go to Alton Towers and stay in a hotel with close family.

Alice, now 20, said she was extremely lucky to have such great friends who had stuck by her over the last four years.

“Every child has a wish but some don’t have a lifetime to pursue them,” she said.

“They all deserve the chance to enjoy the fun and excitement of doing something they have only ever dreamt of before.

“With the money the girls have raised, they will help bring a ray of sunshine to a seriously ill child and their family.

“I am so incredibly proud of what they achieved and can’t begin to thank them enough for taking part in such a challenge.”

Donations to the sponsored walk can be made at sunshine.wishfunds.com/fund/ 3+Peaks+Walk/showFund.