THE latest person to receive The Mail’s Bouquet of the Week is a six-year-old girl who has taken on a gruelling challenge for charity.

Ava-Grace Mellor raised hundreds of pounds for a cancer charity by not eating sweets or chocolate for the whole month of January.

Proud parents Stephanie and Lee nominated their daughter for the flowers, paying tribute to her “amazing effort”.

In total she raised £250 for Cancer Research UK after family and friends gave generous donations through an online page.

Dad Lee said his daughter, who goes to Newbarns Primary School, was keen to raise money for charity but other, more physical challenges were too much for a six-year-old.

He said: “We wanted to nominate her because she deserves the recognition for what she did.

“She came up with the idea completely by herself and we are both very proud of her.

“She did so well throughout the month and didn’t touch chocolate or sweets once even though she was offered them a lot of times at school and by her grandma.

“It was an amazing effort by her at her age.

“I don’t know how she managed it because I couldn’t have.

“Even when someone offered her raisins dipped in yoghurt she turned it down because she thought it was white chocolate.”

Lee said her daughter was delighted to be surprised by the bouquet after school.

He said: “She was really pleased by the surprise. She loves flowers.

“She will probably do more challenges like this to raise money for charity.”

After going the month without any sweet treats Ava-Grace made sure she made up for lost time on February 1.

Lee said: “She was straight into her Christmas chocolate as soon as January ended.

“She had chocolate for breakfast.”

The family live in Newbarns Road, Barrow.

If you know a person or group deserving of our Bouquet of the Week, then please get in touch with your nominations.

You can send details of your nomination to reporter Dan Taylor by email on dan.taylor@newsquest.co.uk or call the newsdesk on 01229 840150.

Teachers, community champions, local heroes and caring friends have all received the flowers in the past and you could know someone perfect to add to the list.

The flowers are kindly provided by the team at Ellie’s Designer Florist based at Hill Foot Garden Centre in Ulverston.