A CHATTY schoolgirl bit her tongue as she took on a sponsored silence in support of Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith children’s hospices.

Elinor Jones, who attends Ysgol Frongoch Junior in Denbigh, stayed silent for seven hours and raised more than £600 for the charity.

The 11-year-old attends the North Wales School of Dance and The Denbigh Workshop Youth Theatre, which was founded by her parents Sean and Tracy.

Both are actors and are best known for their roles in West End musical Blood Brothers.

Tracy Spencer-Jones said: “She does not stop for a single moment.

“To be honest, most people who know Elinor can’t believe she decided to do a sponsored silence, especially for a whole seven hours.

“After a relative climbed Snowdon for charity recently, Elinor decided she wanted to do something to help people too, and she wanted it to involve children,” added Tracy.

“She researched what would be a challenge for her, and staying quiet is certainly that.

"When I told her about what Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith do for children and families in our area she instantly wanted to help raise money.”

Fundraiser Sarah Ritchie said: “We would like to thank Elinor for raising such a superb amount of money for us by challenging herself to stay silent for such a long time.

“We need to raise in excess of £6million a year to support all the children and families we help from across the North Wales area and that’s why it’s so amazing that we are supported regularly by people like Elinor.”

The fire-break in Wales has acted as a further blow to Hope House Children’s Hospices, which covers North Wales, Powys, Cheshire and Shropshire. Six of its charity shops in Wales will remain closed until November 9.

Andy Goldsmith, chief executive, said: "Our services usually cost in the region of £500,000 a month to provide and most of that cost is usually met via donations, fundraising, our lottery and our shop sales.

“But, with more shop closures and all but virtual fundraising events cancelled for the rest of this year we are experiencing an unprecedented fall in income at a time when we are facing additional costs such as the need for full personal protective equipment to nurse the children safely."