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Gallery: It was a party to remember!
Smiling and laughing on the dance floor with his brother Matthew, Samuel John watched as the entertainer forced himself into a huge balloon.
It was a welcome break from the daily strain that 12-year-old Samuel is used to as he battles a life-threatening brain tumour.
He was one of hundreds of children at the annual Mad Hatters Tea Party held at Liquid and Envy in Portsmouth.
View a gallery of pictures from the madcap event.
All the youngsters who attend are battling life-threatening illnesses.
Samuel, who lives in Fareham, and his parents Vicky and Steve were all in need of some light relief.
'I thought he was going to pop!' said Samuel of the balloon man.
He added: 'I come here and it makes me feel normal. All the other children have something wrong with them too. This is the second party I have been to. They're brilliant.'
Samuel cannot be operated on because the tumour is in the middle of his brain, so he and his family face an uncertain future.
His mum Vicky, 34, said: 'Sam's been in hospital the last week with an infection and he will go straight back in when we've finished here.
'He is a 12-year-old kid. He doesn't get to do most of the things his friends do so coming here is amazing. It is a nice release for all of us.
'It was a huge shock when we found out. He only went to the opticians for a check-up and two days later we were told he had a brain tumour.'
The Mad Hatters Party is now in its eighth year and gets bigger and better every time.
Pompey player Linvoy Primus and characters such as Winnie The Pooh, Tigger and SpongeBob SquarePants all made an appearance to put smiles on 300 children's faces.
Organiser Malcolm Drew set up the event when his daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia.
After she made a full recovery, Mr Drew wanted to organise a party for other children from the Portsmouth area who bravely fought cancer and other illnesses.
Through the parties he has been able to raise funds for vital equipment for the children's wards at Southampton General Hospital and Portsmouth's St Mary's Hospital.
He said: 'I didn't think it would get this big but it gets bigger and bigger every year. It helps so many people.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
