A SWIMATHON inspired by a miracle tot known as Superted, has raised more than £7,000 for charity.

The event, held at Wickford Swimming Pool in July, was organised by Ted and Sarah Drummond. Their son Ted, now three, was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was six months old.

Inspired by Ted’s bravery, the couple, of Park Close, Wickford, set up charity Be Child Cancer Aware.

The swimathon marked the launch of the charity, which aims to highlight the symptoms of the disease, what can be done to beat it and how GPs can often misdiagnose cancer.

Hundreds of people flocked to watch and applaud as a beaming Ted swam the first length of the pool in his armbands.

Firefighters, police, nurses and other fundraisers then took the plunge, clocking up almost 4,000 lengths between them.

John, 43, said: “The final total raised is about £7,000, which is an incredible amount.

“We would like to thank everyone who attended, supported or donated items for the swimathon.

“From Simon Jones at Basildon Council for providing a bouncy castle, to Essex police for sending along the horses and police cars – we are very grateful.”

John is now trying to raise the profile of Be Child Cancer Aware and is hoping stories like Ted’s will touch the nation’s hearts.

Ted appeared in the Echo earlier this year when we told how he came battled back after being admitted to hospital suffering from septicaemia.

The tot was so poorly doctors said he had a few minutes to live. But while they attempted to put Ted in a coma to relieve his suffering, Ted sat bolt upright in his bed, punched the doctor on the nose and yelled “no”.

Since then Ted has made an amazing recovery and is also in remission from cancer.

John added: “September is international child cancer awareness month, and we want to increase the profile of the charity and spread awareness to the biggest threat to our children’s health.

“One way is to try and get our Facebook fan base up to 10,000 from 8,300.

“People can support us by logging on to www.facebook.com/bechild canceraware When Ted recently turned three, it was a day his family thought they would never see.

John said: “Birthdays really are special now, we made a huge fuss of Ted.

“It brings it home when you go through something like this.

“Just a few days ago our friend’s son lost his fight with cancer. Aged only seven years, his life had not even begun, and yet he spent the last year battling a cruel and aggressive form of childhood cancer.

“It’s times like this that make us more determined to spread awareness of the biggest disease threat to all our children.”

Some 50 per cent of children with cancer in the UK die within five years of diagnosis.