A KIND-HEARTED entrepreneur raised nearly £400 for charity – all before he has even reached his 10th birthday.

William Jones, aged 9, set up a sweet stall at Ramsbottom farmers’ market to raise funds for FOP Friends – which helps children suffering with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), a rare illness which ‘turns children into statues’.

William came up with idea by himself and has been supported by his classmates from St Andrew’s CE Primary School, in Nuttall Lane.

He put all the plans together, selected the stock and went around to meet with retailers.

William’s mum, Maria Jones, said: “It went really, really well.

“It was a bit went and cold but that didn’t stop them, it went brilliantly.

“They have raised a total of just under £400.”

He raised money for the same charity a few months ago when he did the family run at Bury 10k – the first time he had run on his own.

He raised £250 then, meaning the total he has raised for FOP Friends is approximately £650.

“After he did the run, then he just didn’t want to stop, so he came up with the idea of this sweet stall.

“He’s done an absolutely brilliant job.

“I am really, really proud, he is a really passionate and enthusiastic boy, and that enthusiasm is infectious.

“It was horrible weather but other people at the market and said that seeing these little boys doing that was really inspiring and helped others to feel really positive.

“They made a difference and made a name for themselves.”

William decided to raise money for FOP Friends after seeing a boy of a similar age suffer from the illness, an extremely rare connective tissue disease caused by a mutation of the body’s repair mechanism, which causes fibrous tissue, including muscle, tendon, and ligament, to be turned to bone spontaneously or when damaged.

One of Mrs Jones’ colleagues, who does charity runs himself, told her about a boy called Oliver, who is a year younger than William, who suffers from FOP.

She took William to see Oliver and he said he wanted to do something for him.

On the day of the market, Oliver visited William and his friends at the stall and the boys went off to share an ice cream together.

To donate to William’s campaign for FOP Friends, please visit the following website: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MariaJones2