Littlehampton girl bathes in tomatoes

CONSTANT rain may have deterred many from venturing outside but it certainly did not wash away this Littlehampton teen’s charitable spirit.

Former Littlehampton Carnival Junior Queen, Megan Swift, 14, of Townsend Crescent, spent the whole day bathing in a pool of tinned tomatoes in a bid to raise funds for a humanitarian trip to Ethiopia, later this year.

Littlehampton Academy student Megan hopes to head out to the poverty-stricken country in October, to help care for young children in some of the country’s most deprived areas and slums.

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More than 70 cans were emptied into the paddling pool during the event, which raised almost £500 – nearly half of the £1,280 total Megan needs for the trip.

The African adventure is being organised by the academy with the Cred Foundation, a charity that sends young people around the globe to help those less fortunate.

The bath took place outside Megan’s grandmother’s bungalow, in Blakehurst Way, and coincided with the birthday of the Megan’s late grandfather, Derek.

The teen’s proud mother, Melanie Syer, said: “Megan is a very special daughter and a wonderful person.

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“I have, in recent years, been declared disabled with a 15-year-old neck complaint which now has me on morphine day and night.

“Megan, who is the fourth of seven children, is amazingly supportive to my needs when my neck very frequently goes into spasm and she never, ever complains.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be able to be a part of helping her to achieve this amazing lifetime opportunity to go out there and share some of her fantastic loving, kind and gifted nature to those very special children in the slums.”

Megan said: “The bath itself felt horrible, but raising the money was just so important to me.

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“It’s vital to raise as much as I can to get out there and help the disadvantaged children with some of the simple things, like colouring and looking after themselves.”

Melanie added: “Myself and Megan’s nan have both bent over backwards for her and a lot of people thought she wasn’t going to achieve this.

“We’re all so proud of her.”

She thanked the Sainsbury’s store in New Road, Rustington, for donating a £10 voucher towards the tinned tomatoes.

Megan’s trip is scheduled to take place between Saturday, October 15, and Monday, October 24.

Sponsor money can still be sent either to Megan’s home address, 10 Townsend Crescent, or her grandmother’s home at 3 Blakehurst Way.