A Tywyn couple who faced “every parent’s worst nightmare” have raised thousands for the Wales Air Ambulance (WAA).

Sarah Bessant and her husband Jon wanted to do something to repay WAA for saving their daughter’s life, and family, friends and Tywyn residents have rallied round to support them.

Explaining what happened to 11-year-old Lexi, Sarah said: “In July this year our family found ourselves facing every parent’s worst nightmare when our daughter, Lexi, suddenly became seriously unwell at school and suffered a prolonged seizure.

“Thanks to the incredibly quick response of the Wales Air Ambulance, the ambulance crew who came to Lexi at her school, and the local nurse from MIU in Tywyn who helped care for her, she was able to receive the urgent treatment and specialist care she needed.

“She was eventually airlifted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where she received further treatment.

“After everything our family experienced, we felt very strongly that we wanted to give something back to the service that played such an important part in getting our daughter the care she needed. That is why we decided to start fundraising for the Welsh Air Ambulance.

“We honestly cannot thank our local community enough for getting behind us.”

They family had already raised £1,889 from a coffee and cake sale and a raffle, but decided to raise even more by walking up Snowdon.

Sarah, Jon, Sarah’s sister Kylie and Kylie’s husband Dion planned the sponsored walk for Saturday, 12 September, but delayed it until the Sunday due to bad weather.

Speaking after the walk, Sarah said: “It wasn’t easy, but I just kept reminding myself that it was all for a good cause! “The weather was awful Saturday so we did it Sunday instead.

“I’m super proud of us for the achievement and just pleased to be have supported such a vital service that is much-needed in our area.

“We got a lot of encouragement from others walkers when they saw our air ambulance t-shirts, which really helped to spur us on!”

The family’s Go fund me page currently stands at £3,237, thanks to the cake sale, raffle and walk sponsorship. They will close the page on Sunday, 27 September, so people still have time to donate.

Sarah said: “Our JustGiving page has now reached just over £3,237.

“What started as our way of saying thank you has become something that our whole community has helped us with, and we are incredibly grateful.

“To every single person who has donated, bought a raffle ticket, donated a prize, donated cakes, came along to our event, sponsored us or simply shared our fundraising posts — thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

“We hope that by raising as much as we can, we can help the Welsh Air Ambulance continue to be there for other families when they need them most.

“Thank you, Tywyn and our local community, for helping us turn a frightening experience for our family into something positive.”

To donate to the family’s fundraising page, visit https://shorturl.at/UO0zB