CLASSMATES of Kiara Stevenson-Mann paid a touching tribute to her by holding a sunflower growing competition in her memory.Kiara had been among the original guests at Charlotte Jackson's sixth birthday party in May, when the children all planted a sunflower seed.

CLASSMATES of Kiara Stevenson-Mann paid a touching tribute to her by holding a sunflower growing competition in her memory.

Kiara had been among the original guests at Charlotte Jackson's sixth birthday party in May, when the children all planted a sunflower seed.

But Kiara, who died in a road accident in Ipswich's Landseer Road in August, never saw the final blooming of her sunflower.

The children, from Cliff Lane School in Ipswich, have now got together once more to compare the progress of their flowers.

They also raised £50 for the Evening Star's Kiara Appeal fund.

Charlotte's mother Suzy Jackson, of Ipswich's Princethorpe Road, said: "We were unsure whether to go ahead with the sunflower challenge but the children had been nurturing their sunflowers and watching them grow so we decided to go ahead and have a collection box for Kiara.

"Kiara's friends miss her and Charlotte has said that she wants to plant a sunflower ever year to remember her friend.

"I even saw one or two of the children going up to the collection box and putting their own money in.

"But there was still a lot of happiness and the children enjoyed the day.

Winners at the event were Rhianne Stanley, 6, for the tallest sunflower, Charlotte for the largest sunflower head and Anna Whitbread, 6, for the smallest sunflower.

Kim Curry, 7, also walked away with a prize for the most imaginative sunflower. As hers had died, she made one out of pipe cleaners.

Kiara's Appeal Fund has been set up to buy a fitting memorial for Kiara and the money raised can be spent in any way her family wishes.

Any donations should be made payable to The Kiara Fund and sent c/o Geraldine Thompson, Editor's Secretary, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.