KIND-hearted cancer sufferer Kelly Mullings continues to champion Brierley Hill based charity The Paul Ackrill Fund.

The 23-year-old Birmingham University student from Pensnett has already been compared with the late Stephen Sutton through her tireless fundraising - despite having only recently completed chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma.

She raised more than £6,000 when friends rallied round in April for a 'Tri-ing for Cancer' day at Stourbridge's Crystal Leisure Centre - and she has continued to keep the money rolling in.

A recent spinning event at the Crystal Leisure Centre has reaped over £400 and Kelly is already planning another one in September.

And this week, she has inspired The Wordsley School, where she was a pupil, to raise in the region of £700 for the Paul Ackrill Fund as one of their chosen charities.

Headteacher Mike Lambert said: "The pupils decided themselves which charity the money should go to and I think they chose the Paul Ackrill Fund because Kelly is a former pupil and her brother Nathan still attends the school.

"Cancer is such an emotive subject and the way Kelly has handled it has been absolutely wonderful."

Gill Ackrill, who founded the charity, said: "It's exactly 13 years since Paul died and I feel Kelly is determined to keep the charity going almost single handedly.

"It was through her efforts that the charity has continued for another year.

"Since January, we've already paid out £8,000 to young people suffering with cancer.

"Originally when the charity first started we were able to pay out £500 to patients per annum, but we had to cut that to £300.

"Kelly has helped to revitalise the charity and given it a real boost.

"Paul lived at home when he had cancer, but other sufferers are really struggling with bills to pay when they have enough to worry about.

"Quite often we don't even get an acknowledgement, but I understand that because they have a real battle of their own to deal with.

"Only very occasionally does someone like Kelly come along and it's wonderful. She's a wonderful, wonderful girl."