A CHARITABLE schoolboy will be joined by all of his friends on Saturday when he takes part in a duathlon to support his mother.

Oliver Shears, from Radstock Primary School, has managed to raise nearly £1,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity after mother Yvette Shears fell ill during a family holiday to Australia.

The 41-year-old collapsed at Melbourne Airport in October in front of her two children and was diagnosed with a brain tumour and so Oliver decided to do something to help the people who look after his mum.

Joined by school friends and cousins, nine-year-old Oliver will run and cycle at Dinton Pastures after the main event - The Kids Dinton Duathlon 2018.

Mark Shears, Oliver's father, said: "We were on a big family holiday in Australia and she collapsed in the airport and had a seizure. It was horrible.

"We were not allowed to fly her home and she was diagnosed with a brain tumour after being rushed to hospital."

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The family, from Lower Earley, were travelling Down Under to celebrate Mark's sister completing her last round of chemotherapy when Yvette, a dental hygienist, became ill.

He added: "Oliver came up with the idea of hosting his own kids duathlon with all of his friends to raise funds for the people who helped his mummy.

"He is a keen triathlete and has won a number of medals with Reading Rascals. They are doing kids races in the morning and then we will be doing our bit in the afternoon.

"My whole family were out in Australia with us when it happened after we went out to celebrate my sister's good news."

The children will run 400m either side of a 2km cycle to help raise as much money as possible for The Brain Tumour Charity.

Oliver said: "She had to stay in hospital in Melbourne with daddy and my nanny and grandad came to look after me and my brother Callum.

"I asked my dad if I could do a race and ask my friends to join me to raise money to help mummy. Dad said I could raise funds to help the people who help my mummy and aid research and make my mummy proud."

Visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-shears2 if you can help.