The family of a battling five-year-old girl who suffered a stroke have launched an appeal to help boost her rehabilitation.

Last month Tilli Cremin was enjoying lessons at Red Oak Primary School in Kirkley, Lowestoft when she suffered a seizure and was rushed to hospital.

With her parents Carly and Zak Cremin receiving a call from the school on the morning of Tuesday, April 5, to say that an ambulance was on its way, the brave youngster was taken to the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

Not long after her family had arrived she suffered another seizure and was taken for tests and scans.

It was later confirmed she had suffered a stroke and was transferred to the Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge, where she spent two weeks recovering.

At the end of last month, Tilli's aunt Amy Matthews - with the backing of the family - set up an online GoFundMe page to raise vital funds.

Entitled 'Help Tilli Cremin with rehabilitation after stroke' more than 200 donations have been made in just over two weeks - with £6,815 having been raised.

Next Saturday, May 21 a coffee, cake and raffle - featuring lots of prizes - will be held at Whitton Residents Hall in Hawthorne Avenue, Lowestoft from 10am to 4pm.

Mrs Matthews said: "We are raising £15,000 to help fund treatment with Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) in Manchester.

"We are looking to get Tilli booked in for assessment as this will help her until she gets the chance to go to the Children’s Trust Chadworth - where she is currently waiting for a referral, but there is a waiting list."

The family said the fundraising would help to "speed up the rehabilitation process and get some specialist equipment" to boost her recovery.

Recalling how "our little independent, beautiful girl had suffered a stroke", the family said: "Never in a million years did we think it was possible for a child so young to suffer with this.

"Tilli is a very determined little girl.

"She is improving every day but there is still such a long way to go to get our girl back to her normal self."

Mrs Matthews added: "Tilli now goes to school for one hour 30 minutes a day for speech therapy.

"She has been given a date to go to Manchester on June 6 for rehabilitation for her upper limbs - so we’re really pushing to raise as much as we can."