THIS fundraising effort was anything but child’s play.

A group of 12 adults raised more than £5,000 for Oxford Children’s Hospital by riding 22 miles from Didcot to the John Radcliffe Hospital on children’s bikes.

They wanted to raise cash after doctors at the hospital treated five-year-old Holly Manfredi, pictured front right, for encephalitis, a swelling of the brain caused by infection.

One of the riders, Richard Williams, 38, pictured left, with Holly’s brother Lewis, mum Donna and Cynthia Charlett, said: “It was more than we expected to raise so we are very pleased. The family have been overwhelmed by the support they have had from the hospital, friends and family.

“Some parts of the ride were quite hard but the morale of the riders was good. It was a great day and everybody enjoyed it.”

Holly now goes to Stephen Freeman Primary School.

The other riders were Andrew King, Sean Andrews, Darren Purdy, Stuart Gee, Billy Collins, Darren Butler, Michael Lincoln, Thomas Patterson, Joe Betteridge and Holly’s father Lee Manfredi.