A FUNDRAISING day to support the family of Alexys Brown raised a staggering £18,000.

Hundreds of people packed out the Lazy Lizard and The Nook last Sunday for the event.

The event at the two Weymouth Esplanade Bars was called ‘The Brightest Star’ and it has now been announced that it managed to raise £18,000.

The money was raised from the bar sales, raffles and the bids at an auction held at the event.

Ali Record, one of the co-owners of the Lazy Lizard and a close friend of the Brown family, was left staggered by the outcome.

She said: “The whole amount was just from one day. We’re blown away by it.

“It went three or four times over what we were hoping and it just kept on going.

“We never thought we could raise that sort of money in just one day.”

Staff dressed up as the cast of Frozen, Lexi’s favourite film, with people queuing for raffle tickets and enjoying candy floss, popcorn and homemade cakes to raise money and show their support.

The venues were packed with people wanting to show their support for the Brown family and pay tribute to five-year-old Alexys, known as Lexi, who sadly died in a tragic incident at her home in Weymouth.

Mrs Record wanted to thank the security staff, bands and all the helpers at the event that made it possible.

She also wanted to thank The Nook for joining the Lazy Lizard in throwing open its doors to make sure everyone who wanted to come to the event could be accommodated.

Most of all though, she wanted to thank the people who braved the weather to come out and support the Brown family.

She said: “I was quite surprised because at the start of the day it was raining and it was so miserable. It was a worry but people still wanted to come and they came in their droves, they just kept coming.”

Ali said that the money will go a long way to making life that little bit easier for the family.

She said: “No amount of money will bring Lexi back but it will give the family time to grieve and not worry about other things.”

With the money from the event, a Crowdfunder page set up to support Lexi’s family has now raised more than £32,000.

The page had an original target of £2,000.

Donations are still being welcomed on the page at: www.crowdfunding.justgiving.com/LexiTheBrightestStar

Fundraising for the brown family is being supported by the Dorset Echo.