A group of 30 self-confessed overweight staff at Brune Park Community College in Gosport have vowed to shed pounds to raise pounds for the ward which is looking after a teacher's sick son.

The 'Brune Park Belly Busters' are being sponsored to lose weight for the Piam Brown Ward at Southampton General Hospital, with some running into work, visiting the gym or banning cakes from staff meetings.

The inspiration for these efforts has come from three-year-old Oliver Gamble, whose father Clive is a science teacher and pastoral leader at the school.

Oliver was diagnosed with a rare kidney tumour known as Wilms tumour back in August after pains in his stomach.

Doctors initially thought it was a grumbling appendix, but tests later revealed it was a tumour.

He's since had his right kidney removed and undergone weeks of chemotherapy at the Piam Brown Ward, with several more months of treatment to come.

Staff at Brune have given themselves a target of collectively losing 30 stone by March 31.

So far, after two weeks £2,000 has been raised and 99 pounds have been shed - that's just over seven stone.

And they felt inspired to lose more after meeting Oliver for the first time on Thursday.

Belly Busters co-ordinator Maggie Breeze weighs every staff member on Wednesday morning and says everybody's entered into the spirit.

She said: 'When I go into the staff room I often get the staff holding up their food showing how healthy they are. Everybody's been really positive about it.

'And the team are even more motivated now, especially after seeing Ollie running around looking so well.'

PE teacher Dean Searley, who's lost 12 pounds by running 20 to 30 miles to work every week, said: 'Everybody feels more driven because they're doing something special.'

Mr Gamble, 33, of Locks Heath said: 'It's lovely, really touching. The fundraising is for the whole ward, not just for Oliver. It's humbling so many people want to help.'

His wife Karen Gamble, 33, added: 'People have been so supportive. It made me cry.'

'Belly Busters' raise cash for little Oliver's ward by shedding the pounds

Teachers and school staff say no to junk food and lose weight to raise money for hospital treating boy