Hartlepool schoolgirl Alice Skinner has been presented with a Nintendo Wii game and other gifts after Sue Ray and members of her family read about Alice reaching her seventh birthday in the Mail last week.

Sue, 43, and her nieces Toni Ray, 15, Lauren Smith, 14, Emily Ray, 10, and her Greenock Road neighbours Sophie Killingsworth, 10 and Lewis Killingsworth, 11 raised £150 at a funday held in memory of their neighbour Vicky Barker.

Vicky died three years ago aged 12 from Blackfan Diamond syndrome, a rare blood disorder and regularly featured in the Mail.

Sue and the children held a garden fete last year and raised £150.

The mother-of-one said she initially intended to donate the money to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where Vicky was treated and where Alice receives treatment, but after reading her story in the Mail the children wanted to buy something for Alice.

When Sue found out what Alice would like, a further £50 was raised to boost the funds and buy other gifts including Bratz books, jewellery and a Forever Friends bear.

Childminder Sue said: "Alice would probably get more use out of it and benefit from it.

"Vicky was a unique child and everyone who met her will never forget her. She would have loved that we have been able to help Alice."

Alice's father George Skinner, 37, a salesman from Templeton Close, Hartlepool, said: "We wanted Alice to have something educational or physical, as she is quite restricted in how she can play – she doesn't get to play with other children much.

"Alice needs a lot of physical exercise so we thought a Nintendo Wii would be ideal. She has problems with her legs so that sort of thing is good for her. She needs to burn off sweat so she doesn't have too long a dialysis session.

"I think it's amazing that people want to help and it's thanks to the likes of the Mail who publish our stories about Alice. A big thanks for Sue and the children's thoughts."