MUSIC and dance teachers across Dorset are being urged to get their students involved in a cancer fundraising campaign.

The campaign, called a Practice-a-thon, is a UK-wide fundraising campaign run by CLIC Sargent, a cancer charity for children and young people.

This year marks the 11th year of Practice-a-thon and, over the last 10 years, schools and groups from across the UK have raised over one million pounds for CLIC Sargent through music, song and dance.

This year, X Factor star Lucy Spraggan, who wowed the talent judges with her original song audition in 2012, has launched the campaign.

Farah Batchelor, Dorset fundraising manager for CLIC Sargent said: “Now is the time to join in the fun and get Dorset pupils singing and dancing for CLIC Sargent, by organising an event or perhaps a Christmas concert as a way of having fun with music and song and fundraising at the same time.

“Last year budding creatives around the county held some great events from music concerts to dance showcases, raising over £2,500 which is a target I’m sure we can exceed this year.

X Factor star Lucy Spraggan has launched the campaign this year and is calling on all music and dance teachers to help their students enjoy and support Practice-a-thon for the CLIC Sargent campaign .

In 2012 CLIC Sargent supported 82 families from Dorset.

Every day 10 children and young people are told they have cancer, and diagnosis usually comes as a shock.

Treatment normally starts straightaway and can last up to three years.

Although survival rates are more than 70 per cent, cancer remains the single largest cause of death from disease in children in the UK.

For more information or to register your own event with the Practice-a-thon, visit www.clicsargent.org.uk/practiceathon or call 08451 206340.