Two Suffolk schoolgirls have raised more than £1,800 for a cancer support service at Ipswich Hospital after undertaking a 24-hour sponsored silence challenge.

Lucie Jenkins, whose mum Briony has secondary breast cancer, and friend Freya Howlett set themselves a target of making £1,600 ahead of the silence last month – but funds soon rushed in and they ended up with a total of £1,830.11.

The funds will go towards the work of the hospital’s Macmillan Family Support Worker, Hilary Wilson, and her colleague Christine Bickers, a CLIC Sargent social worker, who both support families when there is a cancer diagnosis in a child or adult.

Speaking after handing over the cheque, Lucie, of Harkstead, said: “I didn’t think we would be able to reach our target – it was so much money. But we did and it’s unbelievable what a sponsored silence could achieve.

“Hilary has helped me a lot in coping with my mum’s cancer so I wanted to do something in return to help her.”

Freya added: “Amazing, I never thought we would raise so much.”

Briony was treated for breast cancer six years ago, but she now has secondary breast cancer and is on medication.

She said: “I am so very proud of what Lucie and Freya have achieved and overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who has donated. I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to friends and family for their support, both with the fundraising and with our fight against cancer.”