A BUCKET collection and a wear-a-onesie-to-school day raised more than £670 as part of the Free Press-backed appeal to pay for a Caldicot tot to have a pioneering operation.

Pupils at St Mary’s RC Primary, Chepstow, raised £330 swapping uniforms for onesies in exchange for a donation.

And on Saturday, volunteers visited several pubs in Chepstow, collecting £332.15 from customers in a bucket collection for the Help Imogen Walk appeal, which now stands at £3,085.66.

There is still a long way to go though to reach our target of £40,000 wo we are appealing for any of you with ideas or offers of help to get in touch.

Mum Catherine Ashwell-Rice, of Lapwing Avenue, launched the appeal for her daughter Imogen Ashwell-Lewis, two, a month ago through the Tree of Hope charity.

She is raising the money so that her daughter can have a radical procedure to enable her to walk independently.

Imogen has a debilitating nerve-muscle condition known as spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which means she walks on her toes, has stiffness in her legs and poor balance and co-ordination.

The36-year-old mum of eight hopes a procedure called selective dorsal rhizotomy will help avoid further deterioration.

Other fundraising initiatives already on the go include selling pink wristbands for £1, a ladies' afternoon at Severn View Club, Caldicot, on March 7 and a fun day, also at the club, on March 29 when a raffle (tickets £1)will include donated prizes ranging from a Tesco hamper, a family photo shoot, a Body Shop makeover and hand-made jewellery.

On the appeal’s just giving page Ms Ashwell-Rice said: "A huge thank you to everyone at St Mary's RC School, Chepstow — they held a onesie day on Friday and raised an amazing £330 for us. Thank you to the PTA for organising and to all the parents/children who brought in donations. The support from the whole St Mary’s school community, where Imogen’s siblings Rosie-Cayte, 10, and Thomas, seven, are pupils, has been unbelievable. Parents, staff and the PTA have been really supportive and the school’s ethos is reflected in everyone’s kindness.”

Anyone wanting to set up a just giving page and organise their own events should visit www.justgiving.com/helpimogenwalk or the facebook page Help-Imogen-Walk.