A BUSY family fun day and live music event is expected to raise thousands of pounds for a South Cumbria charity.

More than 1,000 people attended Joe and Connie Calling on Saturday in aid of Butterfly Hugs.

Butterfly Hugs supports young families affected by life limiting and terminal illness in the South Lakes and the Furness area.

The crowds enjoyed family entertainment with Bubble Football games, a fun fair, trampolines, bouncy castles and the characters of Marvellous Events at Allithwaite Community Centre and playing fields.

Allithwaite CE Primary School staff also got involved by putting on a cake stall. The visitors also enjoyed a hog roast and bar.

There was dance from Elite School of Dance and Dance Atikk. Rocking the event into the evening were Bare Bones, The Underdogs, Rusty Bullets, Chuck Fish and Among Giants.

The event is named in honour of brother and sister Joe and Connie Elson, aged six-and-a-half and eight-and-a-half, of Cark.

The sister and brother both have the rare and incurable genetic condition metachromatic leukodystrophy.

Connie’s symptoms began at age five-and-a-half when the very bright little girl started to display a lack of concentration and clumsy behaviour. The cruel, life-limiting disease has seen the fun-loving, intelligent and witty Connie become totally dependent. She can no longer walk or talk and requires a feeding tube. Despite the aggression of the disease, Connie keeps a huge smile on her face.

Connie and Joe's parents, Nicola and Ian, are both carriers of the recessive gene. Joe has pioneering treatment in Italy as part of a clinical trial because he is pre-symptomatic. Unfortunately Connie’s condition was too progressed for this.

Joe's treatment has included a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy. He is due to return to Italy at half term.

Connie and Joe were the Evening Mail Christmas Star bravery winners in 2015. The Evening Mail arranged for Father Christmas to surprise them at their home with a host of presents, courtesy of Heath Toymaster, in Barrow.

Speaking about Joe and Connie Calling, Mrs Elson, said: "It was a brilliant event. We have had 1,000 adults attending, and then there was all the children.

"We think the event will raise in excess of £3,000. This will help families in South Cumbria and the Furness peninsula.

"We are so grateful to everyone who supported the event."

The charity is also set to benefit from a classic car rally taking place in Grange in August.