Prince family thanks everyone for supporting final Blue Day

Cheers for Blue day from children at Moorings Way Infant School in Southsea Picture: Malcolm Wells (180504-6953)

Those were the emotional sentiments from the family of Fratton teenager Tom Prince as the city celebrated its final Blue Day.

Schools and businesses dressed in blue and sold blue cakes to raise cash for the Tom Prince Cancer Trust.

Adele, Tom’s mum, said the day was surreal and thanked everyone for making the final Blue Day a great one.

Children celebrate Blue Day at Purbrook Infant School Picture: (180504-6934)

‘We went to see Tom today to tell him it was Blue Day and bring him flowers,’ she said. ‘When we were sat there, I was thinking he would be proud the city got behind the trust to make a different to patients with osteosarcoma. It was a wonderful thing to see children dressed in blue and everyone making an effort for charity.’

The Tom Prince Cancer trust was started in memory of Tom in 2004 after he died from osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. His family vowed to raise £1m for research, something they achieved in 2016.

Blue Day became an annual event when Pompey reached the semi-final of the FA Cup in 2008.

Adele added: ‘It is surreal knowing this is the last one because it is an annual event for so many people.

‘We just want to say thank you to everyone for their support and we really do appreciate everyone’s effort in keeping Tom’s memory alive.’