Students at Denbigh High School have taken on a major fundraising campaign all in aid of a formal pupil.

Ben Rawson, 21, has undergone treatment for Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, after doctors found a huge tumour behind his knee last year.

The keen hockey player has since had to cope with the shock and trauma of losing his leg but he maintains a positive outlook, including being determined to finish his degree in computer science at the University of Manchester.

Money raised through the school’s Christmas jumper day, the Christmas fair and other activities will go towards the family’s efforts to raise the £50,000 needed for a ‘blade’ - the best prosthetic available - to enable Ben to continue to participate in competitive sport.

Acting headteacher, Dr Paul Evans, said: “Ben is an incredibly brave young man who has been through so much and yet he has a ready smile, and his positive attitude and determination shines through. He is an inspiration to us all.

“As a school, we will continue to do as much as we can to raise further funds for Ben.”

Ben together with his sister Katie, a sixth form student at Denbigh High, and mum, Eirlys visited the school for the cheque presentation.

Ben said: “I am so thankful for all the support of my friends and the pupils of Denbigh High and really appreciate everything they are doing to help with fundraising.

“I am in the process of getting used to having a prosthetic leg, and they are making more adjustments to make the fit more comfortable, but I am really looking forward to having a ‘blade’ so that I can get back to playing hockey.

“Thankfully the pain has settled down now, the ‘phantom’ pain you get with an amputation is a very strange sensation. I have found distraction has been the key to coping with everything.

"It’s been surprising to learn about new sports I can try, such as rowing, so although what’s happened has closed some doors, it has also opened others.

“I’m planning to take this year off to complete my treatment and recover well with the aim of returning to university next year to complete the final year of my degree.”

Ben faces five more cycles of chemotherapy at the Christie Hospital, Manchester and attends the Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre in Preston two to three times a week for physiotherapy.

Anyone who would like to donate towards the costs involved with Ben’s treatment and the goal of getting him the best prosthetic leg available can visit the Just Giving crowd funding page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ben-rawson.