EXCITED Barrow pupils got a surprise video call from BBC Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox ahead of their Red Nose Day danceathon.

Victoria Academy is staging a Red Nose Day danceathon tomorrow to raise funds for Comic Relief.

Pupil Amelia Butterfield, a Step Up to Serve #iwill ambassador, is organising the whole school event with her teacher Sarah Chatfield at Barrow's Victoria Academy.

Delighted Amelia, 11, chatted to the DJ, who has just completed an epic 24-hour danceathon for Comic Relief and raised more than £1m.

The pupil spoke to the star with her friends Hannah Atkinson and Olivia Knagg, also 11, known as the ‘Cute As Buttons’ group, who regularly raise money for charity in school.

Coxy wished them luck and offered some words of wisdom in the final hours of rehearsal for their own fundraising extravaganza.

The school will stage a four-hour danceathon, and also a cake sale and a top secret dance-related surprise for staff and pupils too, with all proceeds going to Comic Relief.

Amelia – one of 150 young people recognised for driving social action in their communities – was inspired to help others when her father became ill last year. She set up Cute as Buttons with her school friends to sell items in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care and St Mary's Hospice. The fundraising shop is a hit in school raising lots of funds for the charities.

Amelia's dad, Ben, died in August, aged 39, after a battle with cancer. Amelia has been a great strength and support to her mum, and her three sisters. Amelia has continued with the fundraising shop and in her role as a school buddy, helping a pupil with a disability. Now she motivates others to get involved in social action.

This year’s Red Nose Day sees Comic Relief and the #iwill campaign join forces as part of a new £2m collaboration to help support and inspire more young people like Amelia to get involved in their communities and help drive positive social change.

Coxy put in the phone call after learning that the Cute As Buttons trio had been inspired by her own dance efforts to organise a full day of fundraising to support this year’s Red Nose Day. Amelia said: “It was very cool to get a call from Sara Cox. She gave us tips and wished us luck."

Are you doing something special for Red Nose Day? Send your pictures to news.em@nwemail.co.uk