CRAZY headwear took centre stage as schools backed a campaign to raise awareness about brain tumours.

Colourful hats and caps were all the rage as students and teachers at Pakefield High and Blundeston Primary took part in national Wear a Hat Day last Friday as part of Brain Tumour Awareness month.

Last week, The Journal reported that Waveney MP Peter Aldous had also donned his cap to back the Brain Tumour Research (BTR) campaign and its members charities, including the Lowestoft-based Ellie Savage Memorial Trust.

Ellie's trust was set up in February 2003 after the death of the 14-year-old Kirkley High School student from a brain tumour.

Since January, Ellie's sisters Cassie and Natalie and six of her former school friends – Abi Harrod, Anna Banks, Gemma Roberts, Casey Wicks, Laura Smith and Robyn Harper – have been marking the 10th anniversary of her death by organising '12 months of constant fundraising' with a host of events and activities.

They aim to raise thousands of pounds for the trust, which seeks to provide help and financial support to the families of children in East Anglia who have been diagnosed with cancer or a brain tumour.

With March being Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Cassie and Natalie held an assembly at Pakefield High last week to speak about the charity, and on Friday staff and pupils took part in Wear a Hat Day.

Cassie, Natalie, Laura and Casey, from the 2012 fundraising team, returned to the school in Kilbourn Road to judge the most creative and imaginative designs.

'At the start of the week we held an assembly about our fundraising ambitions, and the school very generously decided to donate all money raised from Wear a Hat Day to the charity,' Cassie said. 'We have also sold all of our charity bracelets, but have ordered more and these will soon be available to buy.'

A Pakefield High spokesman said: 'Staff and pupils were all in hats and they donated money to the charity for the privilege.'

Meanwhile, Pupils and staff at Blundeston Primary also wore hats to school on Friday.

Barbara Shaw, of Blundeston, whose husband Colin died from a brain tumour in 2010, held a coffee morning in Lound Village Hall last Thursday along with Jean Youngs, who has herself received treatment for brain cancer.

She said �851 had been raised so far, with donations still rolling in.

She added: 'We were thrilled by the response from so many generous people.'

Mrs Shaw said she was also grateful to the school for its support and to Peter Aldous for backing BTR's campaign.

For more on the Ellie Savage Memorial Trust, visit Facebook or log on to www.elliestrust.org/trust.asp