A SCHOOLGIRL recently diagnosed with Diabetes was delighted when boxing star Anthony Crolla backed a charity campaign in her name.

Mr Crolla met nine-year-old Paige Aljofref when he presented awards to a team of men who helped raise £2,600 for Diabetes UK.

Paige was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in June and since then her family have rallied round to support the youngster.

Her dad Omar decided to gather a team of ten men to take on a rigorous 30 mile run through Dartmoor National Park in Devon.

The men helped to raise £2,612 for Diabetes UK, a charity which funds scientific research, advanced diabetic equipment and produces medicine, when they took on the challenge.

A celebration was held at Alt wine bar in Whitefield when WBA world lightweight champion Mr Crolla turned out to present the men with awards.

Mr Aljofref, who also took on the course, said: “Paige was completely overwhelmed when Anthony Crolla turned up to congratulate everyone. She’s so grateful for what everyone’s done she welled up on Sunday. The Dartmoor course is one of the three tests you have to pass to get into the Royal Marines so it’s not an easy one.

“Her uncle, Kris Foster, who’s in the Royal Marines, planned the route and took us through it. With all the travelling down to get there we only had a few hours’ sleep before getting on with it.

“We did six mile intervals with a ten minute break in between each one. Four of the lads are ex Royal Marines, including myself, but the others hadn’t done anything like this before.”

Paige, of Sheepfoot Lane, who now injects insulin daily to keep on top of her condition, has insisted she will continue to lead a normal life.

Mr Aljofref added: “Paige is loving, enthusiastic and caring and has inspiring dreams to be a gymnast when she’s older.

“We’re aiming to make sure she can continue living her life as a normal child would and hopefully continue to fit in without being treated differently around other kids. We’re sure she will be able to maintain her dreams without feeling the odd one out.

“I did some research after she was diagnosed to see which charity we could support because we were heartbroken.

“Diabetes UK was spot on so I got in touch to ask what I could do, they told me we could do anything to raise money and that’s why we decided to take on the course. We’ve now sent off a cheque to the charity and will continue to support them and Paige.”