Silence is golden for Lyla, 9, as she raises money for West Suffolk Hospital

Keeping quiet can be tricky for the very best behaved nine-year-olds but when Lyla Whiteman decided she was going to stay silent for a day for very good cause, she meant it.

The school girl from Wood Ditton wanted to raise money for the hospital ward where she had received treatment just after she was born 10 days later than expected and had developed an infection. Twenty four hours later she had not cried or eaten anything and was put on antibiotics for five days.

Her mum Rachel, who is a school cook at Newmarket’s Laureate Community Academy and nursery, said: “She was not seriously ill but she was quite poorly and she just wanted to raise money for the ward to say thank you and we just got behind her and helped her out.”

The fund-raising was carried out during the half-term holiday and Lyla managed to getsponsorship from family and friends and went round her village on her silence day to collect further funds.

“She took flash cards round with her and knocked on people’s doors in the village and not a lot of people said ‘No’. She had written out her story about the treatment she received on the neonatal ward,” said Rachel.

Lyla’s effort raised raised £110.50 for the My WiSH Charity with the money going to the neonatal ward at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

Sue Smith, fund-raising manager said: “We can’t thank Lyla enough for supporting the neonatal unit. Her money really will make a difference”.