AN anonymous Bolton Evening News reader has donated £500 to help young leukaemia sufferers - after winning a cash windfall at bingo.

The woman, who only wants to be known as Lillian from Bolton, donated the money after reading about seven-year-old Jake Lloyd's battle to beat the disease.

This week, Jake, who is undergoing treatment for a rare strain of leukaemia at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, was visited by his favourite Bolton Wanderers player Jussi Jaaskelainen. The soccer star popped in to cheer him up before his second dose of chemotherapy started.

Parents Keith and Lynn have been by the youngster's bedside since he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, a strain which only affects about 50 children a year in the UK, in August.

The Bolton Evening News reader was so touched by Jake's fight she pledged the money to help him and other young sufferers at the hospital.

The woman rang fundraiser Dave Tildsley, from Egerton, who ran the Great North Run last weekend to raise money for the hospital ward Jake is being treated on, the Bochardt ward, and for Leukaemia Research.

Mr Tildsley was featured in a previous article appealing for sponsors.

He said: "When the story appeared, I was told by my sister, who works for charities, not to expect too much response. That night, I got a call from someone in Farnworth, who gave me £10 and then I got a phone call from this lady who said she wanted to give £500. She kept saying it was not a hoax and that she had won some money at bingo.

Mr Tildsley added: "I went to pick the money up on Tuesday and, without realising, kept saying thank you. She told me to stop thanking her and that I had done all the hard work, all she was doing was signing her name.

"I think she is an amazing woman. She said she had read the story, seen Jake's picture and decided that is where she wanted her money to go. She also said her daughter sat near to Jake at the Wanderers."

Today Jake's father also praised the mystery benefactor.

Mr Lloyd said: "I would really like to thank this woman face-to-face. It is just an amazing gesture."

Mr Tildsley ran the 13-mile challenge in one hour 37 minutes.