A 'SPECIAL' 11-year-old girl has inspired dozens of people to take on charity challenges after asking for people to raise funds instead of Christmas presents.

Great Sankey High School pupil Lucie Forrest's Christmas wish was for family and friends to complete physical challenges in her name, with the Whittle Hall youngster unable to do such charity fundraising herself after being diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis - also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

A total of 27 different pledges have been made for the keen writer and poet - with fundraisers ranging from swimming and running to walking and cycling.

Mum Sue said: “It's just snowballed massively - Lucie can't do anything physical at the minute, so we asked people to do physical challenges in her name over a full year from Christmas Day 2017 to Christmas Day 2018.

"We put all the pledges into a scrapbook for her and gave it to her on Christmas Day - she was very overwhelmed and she couldn't take it in at first.

"She just couldn't believe what everyone was doing for her."

Lucie's dad and sister Katie are planning to climb Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike, while her granddad will embark upon a skydive Others have pledged to swim the equivalent of the English Channel, cycle 100 miles in one day and take on six Tough Mudder challenges.

Residents at Cheshire Grange Care Home in Lymm are also holding a sports day in Lucie's name.

Money raised will go to chronic fatigue syndrome charities Invest in ME Research and Smile for ME.

Sue herself will complete a sponsored walk to Manchester Children's Hospital, where Lucie receives treatment.

She added: “It’s not a very well known condition - people often just think its tiredness ,when it’s so much more than that.

"Lucie is in constantly in agony and it's basically stopped her in her tracks.

"It's impacted her massively - she has been riding horses since she was five but she has had to stop.

"She started secondary school in September but she's only been able to go for about 40 per cent of her timetable.

"We're hoping that this will give her something to focus on and something to be positive about, because we're very proud of her - especially after what she's been through in the past year.

"She's a very special little girl and she's always thinking of other people."

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