SCHOOLCHILDREN dressed up in blue to mark World Diabetes Day and show their support to two of their fellow pupils.

The fundraising day at Hill View Primary School in Bournemouth was organised at the request of brothers Dylan, Oliver and Corbin White, who all have type one diabetes – a life-long and life-threatening condition.

Oliver, nine, and Corbin, seven, both attend the school and wrote to head teacher Amanda Jones asking if they could raise money for the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), a charity funding research to cure, treat and prevent type one diabetes.

Leaflets urging parents to watch for the symptoms were also sent home with pupils, in the aim of raising awareness of the condition.

Mum Debbie White said the day raised almost £600 for JDRF UK.

“I’m really pleased,” she said. “There is very little awareness of type one diabetes, its symptoms and the way in which it affects people’s lives.

“It is completely different to type two diabetes, which is normally connected to lifestyle. Type one diabetes is now more common than meningitis but very little is known about it.

“I’m very grateful the school allowed us to raise funds and awareness.”

More than 29,000 children in Britain have type one diabetes and cases are rising by four per cent a year – with under-fives increasingly affected.

“Common symptoms include increased urination, thirst, tiredness and weight loss Although genes are thought to play a part, it is rare for three siblings to be diagnosed.