An eight-year-old girl who had her sponsorship money stolen is now able to donate hundreds of pounds – thanks to generous well-wishers.

Hope Gilbert lost £30 of her £77 sponsorship money along with £7 pocket money when the thief struck.

But now she is able to give more than £800 to Marie Curie Cancer Care after friends, family and complete strangers rallied round to help.

Hope, of Yeadon, swam 70 lengths to raise the original sponsorship money but part of it was stolen after she left her bag in a fish and chip restaurant. When she returned to get the bag back she was told it had already been claimed by a man who is believed to have overheard her talking about her fundraising.

But since the crime became common knowledge people have gone out of their way to make up the shortfall.

And her family have been staggered by the kindness of people in the community who have helped swell the fund to a total of £833.

The latest contribution will come in the shape of a cheque for £540 from the proceeds of a band night organised by the landlord of the The Old Kings Arms on Town Street, Horsforth.

Other contributions have come in from a number of sources, including donations from friends and strangers.

The youngster was part of a team, consisting of two mothers and two children, who had raised £292 for Marie Curie – but that total has now swelled to £1,048 thanks to the kindness of local people. Hope’s mother Vicki said her daughter had struggled to understand how anyone could be mean enough to steal charity money from a child.

But she said her daughter had been given a real boost by the way so many people had gone out of their way to help.

“So many people have been really lovely. It makes you realise that there are more nice people out there than horrible people,” she said.

“It shows that some good can come out of bad.”

Debbie Rhodes, fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care, said the charity was sad to hear that the sponsorship money had been taken but they were delighted that people had been so kind.

“We would like to say thank you to everybody for supporting Hope in such a lovely way, “ she said.