A CHARITY Bake Off-style event aims to raise cash for a Richmond youngster with a muscle wasting disease so he can get his own hydrotherapy pool.

Little Joshua Jessop, who is just six years old, suffers from Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a disease which causes him constant pain.

And now the Arthaus gallery in Finkle Street, Richmond, which is run by the renowned artist Mackenzie Thorpe, is holding the special coffee morning and bake-off to support the youngster and his family.

The event will be held on Saturday, July 30 from 11am until 2pm, and the gallery is urging as many members of the public as possible to bring their cakes along for judging.

Rhiannon Jones, the gallery assistant, said: “We received an email from Joshua’s mum Karen asking if we could do anything to help in their fight to give Joshua a better life - so we put our heads together and came up with this event.

“We are joining forces with the Finlay Cooper Fund, which helps to improve the lives of sick children, and all of the proceeds from the day will go towards a hydrotherapy pool for Joshua.

“And the Wilfred Deli next door is also getting involved in the day by offering a coffee and slice of cake for £2.75.”

The gallery has also managed to pull in a series of spectacular raffle prizes including Middlesbrough Football Club tickets, VIP passes to see Take That, and a special painting by Mackenzie Thorpe himself.

The former editor of The Northern Echo, Peter Barron, will be one of the judges sampling cake on the day.