A COUPLE of youngsters discovered an ingenious way to cool off during the hot weather and raise cash for their favourite cause.

Eight-year-old Harley Vickers and his six-year-old pal Lily Coffey wanted to help out Dr Kershaw’s Hospice and had planned to sell sweets over the sweltering bank holiday weekend.

But as the temperatures rose they decided to soak up the good weather instead and took one for the team by putting themselves up as water bomb targets.

Flogging water bombs to friends, family and passers-by for 10p each on Greenacres Road meant they certainly made a splash, raising a fantastic £20.20.

And Harley’s choice of football team also got him into cold water when they visited a nearby pub to pull in more punters.

“At one point we went into the pub and as I was wearing a Manchester City shirt I got a lot of water thrown at me by the Manchester United fans,” laughed Harley.

It proved a winner for the young stars who go to Hey with Zion and St Edward’s schools respectively as they made a sign to attract attention and got passers-by on Greenacres Road to buy bombs before choosing which of them would be the recipient.

“At one point we went into the pub and as I was wearing a Manchester City shirt I got a lot of water thrown at me by the Manchester United fans,” laughed Harley.

Mums Sarah Bell, of Rydal Walk, Greenacres, and Jennie Vickers, of Beresford Street, Oldham, said they were very proud of the children and that the whole idea of raising money from their fun for the hospice was totally their own.

“They heard that a lot of good work is done at the hospice and they wanted to do something to help,” said Sarah.

“I am sure they will be back after having done more fundraising. They have really enjoyed it.”

David Whaley, acting Business Development Manager at the Hospice, said: “Every penny counts and to see the enthusiasm and youthful vitality of Harley and Lily brought a smile to the faces of our nursing and receptions teams.

“Ten pence a go meant that they had a lot of water thrown at them for the cause and we are very grateful that they took time out of their weekend to help others.”

Harley, from Hey with Zion Primary School, and Lily, from St Edwards RC Primary School were delighted to be able to sign a giant cheque from the proceeds of their enterprising fundraiser and handed it over to hospice staff nurse Joanne Mills.