Captain Tom's salute to six-year-old Greenfield fund-raiser Leo

A Greenfield schoolboy has received a special ‘thank you’ from Captain Thomas Moore, who captured the world's imagination with his own heroic Just Giving NHS fund-raising exploits last week.

Six-year-old Leo Dean was so inspired by the heroic military veteran’s gargantuan efforts he organised his own unique fundraiser to back Tom’s cause.

For three days little Leo manned a roadside table at the corner of Dacre Road and Manchester Road, selling off a selection of his own books and toys and raising £602, which he donated to the Captain's fund.

And responding in a thank you note to Leo, Captain Tom praised him on his Just Giving page, saying: “Phenomenal effort young man.”

Said Leo’s mother Nicola: “Leo was watching the news and became obsessed with Captain Tom and his fund raising.

"He would frequently ask how much he had raised. 

“Then he came in the living room with some books and said 'can we wash my books and sell them to give Captain Tom some money?' 

“So I set about sanitising them for him.

"The first day and he made £28.60, but that didn’t please him so that evening he sorted out some toys and asked me to wash them because he was selling them too. 

“The following evening he made £265.53 and although he suffers terribly from hay fever, he went on to reach his whopping total of £602.30!

“We are so immensely proud of him, and the kindness shown by our neighbours, family, friends and our Greenfield community.

"Thank you to everyone who came to donate.”

Meanwhile, Leo's sister Ashleigh, spurred on by her brothers efforts, spent hours hand-painting stones and raised, with generous support, another £300 for the Captain's fund.

And local police, touched by Leo's efforts, presented him with a gift of a game for all his hard work.

Said a police spokesman: “Leo is an inspiration to us all and a ray of sunshine during this tough time. 

"Leo watches his stall from afar and under the supervision of his proud parents.

"He is selling his own toys and teddy bears and blown away by the public's generosity.  

“We have also been blown away by this inspirational young man and his parents. 

"As a thank you we presented Leo with a gift for all his hard work and commitment.”

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