A YEAR nine school pupil has completed the 39th annual Brussel 20k in support of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care.

Fourteen-year-old Weydon student Ollie Simpson took on the challenge alongside his dad, Ed Simpson, on May 27 and managed to raise over £1,300 for the hospice, which provides supportive and end-of-life care for patients and families living with an advanced or terminal illness.

He crossed the finish line at two hours 14 minutes - five minutes quicker than his target time.

Ollie said: “I set myself a personal challenge and was keen to raise money for a local charity too.

“The first 12km was fun as I took in the beautiful surroundings of the city. However, 14-18km hurt due to my tiredness and the heat and humidity, but at kilometre 19 I saw the finish and it gave me a new boost of energy.”

Community fundraiser at Phyllis Tuckwell, Samantha West, said: “We would like to thank Ollie for raising this amazing amount of money.

“As the NHS/Government only covers 20 per cent of our costs, we have to raise over £20,000 a day to be able to offer all of our services, and the money raised by supporters such as Ollie is vital in helping us achieve this.”