A MINI fund-raiser is keeping his mouth shut to help seriously ill babies.

Jamie Manuel has organised his own two-hour sponsored silence to raise money for the special care baby unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The nine-year-old, who has a 14-month-old brother called Shaun and another brother Elliott, aged seven, has become a well known figure in Farnworth after organising other fund-raising initiatives to help people in need.

He always thinks of the fund-raising schemes himself and constantly surprises his mother Sharon Corless with his latest plans.

The Highfield Primary School pupil has also raised money for Derian House Children's Hospice through a sponsored walk and helped out three-year-old Nathan Howarth who suffers from a rare genetic disorder by holding a street collection.

His 29-year-old mother Sharon said: "I have no idea where the idea of the special care baby unit came from because we hadn't been talking about it.

"But his brother Shaun was born at the Royal Bolton Hospital and I think Jamie must have remembered there was a special unit there.

"I'm really proud of him because he is so kind and always thinking about other people.

"But I don't know how he is going to manage keep quiet for two hours because he is such a chatterbox.

"I have told him if he really needs to say something he will have to write it down!"

Jamie has already collected £25 on his latest fund-raiser thanks to the help of neighbours.