GENEROUS charity collectors have pledged hundreds of pounds to help replace cash stolen from a fundraising pot for a youngster suffering from a rare bone cancer.

Last week, the Gazette revealed how despicable thieves swiped a collection tin which had been placed at the Tesco Express in Magdalen Street, Colchester.

Money was being raised for brave 12-year-old Mykie Perkins who is battling a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing sarcoma.

On a funding page which has been set up by a friend of his parents Tammy and Dean, generous donors and fundraisers have already raised more than £13,000 for the family to help make ends meet as both have had to give up work and make numerous trips to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

But after reading about the theft in the Gazette, bosses at Colchester Round Table have decided to donate some proceeds from their Christmas collection to Mykie.

Immediate past chairman of the group John Harrison said the group had been moved by the story and could not believe thieves would stoop so low.

He said: “Colchester Round Table does collections around Christmas time.

“We do seven or eight of them around the festive season.

“We have a Santa and a sleigh and ask people to give donations which will then be given to good causes.

“When we read the article we were very moved by what had happened.

“If something like that can happen it really does rock your faith in humans.

“So what we wanted to do was take all the good from the people who did donate and hopefully transfer the goodwill to the people who need it.”

Another private donor has also got in touch with the Gazette wanting to hand over £200 to the family to help replace the money which had been stolen from the collection tin.

Dad Dean said he was overwhelmed by the generosity of the readers and other people who had fundraised for the family.

The brave youngster was diagnosed with cancer after initially felt pain in his leg while playing in the pool whilst he was on holiday.

Doctors originally put a cast on his leg thinking he had suffered a break, but further tests showed he had a tumour which turned out to be a rare form of bone cancer.

The little Liverpool fan has spent less than 20 days out of hospital since his diagnosis in October, having undergone four bouts of chemotherapy and has to return to Addenbrooke’s for regular extra tests or if he feels unwell.

The tin was stolen from the Tesco Express on Tuesday just hours after staff held a special bake sale to boost the fundraising amount.

Anyone with information after the theft should call police on 101.

Donations can be made to the family by visiting gofundme.com/t4pcu5-mykie.