Littlehampton girl’s day out in her pyjamas is a boost for Pudsey

Ten-year-old Francesca Blondell, of Littlehampton, dressed up in her night attire as part of this year’s Blue Peter’s appeal to “go pyjamas” for Children in Need.

Francesca, a former pupil at St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School, in Highdown Drive, Wick, and who now attends The Towers School in Upper Beeding, even made a 40-mile train journey from Littlehampton to Horley.

She, along with her sisters Steph, 18, and Abi, 15, spent the day with their grandparents at the Lakeside Shopping Centre, before heading home.

This was Francesca’s first solo fund-raiser and made a total of £66 for the charity – which helped bolster the grand total raised by this year’s appeal, which is estimated to be more than £27m.

The kindhearted youngster is said to be pleased with her efforts and is keen to tackle another task in the near-future.

Proud mum, Adrienne, said: “I think she was a very brave girl to have spent the whole day in her pyjamas.

“She’s very happy with the sum she’s raised – and so are we.”