A charity fundraising day for a four-year-old suffering from cancer has been postponed due to the heatwave.
The fun day for Kayla Buttle at Bradenham Football Club, near Dereham, on Sunday, August 14 was set to feature several Canaries legends including Darren Huckerby, Grant Holt, Dean Ashton and Wes Hoolahan.
However, the event's organiser, Paul Sandford, landlord of the Railway Tavern in Dereham and Kayla’s mum, Stacey Buttle, have decided to postpone the event until Sunday, October 16, as temperatures are expected to reach 32C at kick-off.
Kayla's Family Fun Day was also offering a petting zoo, live music and a bouncy castle, but Mr Sandford said it is important to look after people’s welfare.
“It is a disappointment as we were geared up and ready to go and all looking forward to it,” he said.
“But, with the heat, the petting zoo was not safe, the temperature to play football would have been a non-event.
“Also, the spectators, the traders wouldn’t have got the full experience of a good crowd, and Kayla could not stay for long, so we have decided to push it a couple of months.
“Every one of the legends had agreed to play in October and we hope they will all feature - they will all turn out if they can.”
The day is part of a mammoth fundraising effort by Kayla’s family after she was confirmed as having stage 4 neuroblastoma in May 2021.
Their goal is to raise £221,000 to enrol her on a bivalent vaccine clinical trial in New York, which aims to stop her neuroblastoma from returning.
Mr Sandford said they have raised close to £59,000.
Mrs Buttle, Kayla’s mum, added, “We want people to spend the day with us, and when it is really hot and you have small children, you won’t want to be outside all day.
“We want the best for everyone, and the best we can do to raise for Kayla - of course, we are all gutted, but we actually need to do what is best for everyone.
“People want to do the best for Kayla, and we want to do the best for everyone supporting her.
“This will be better in the long run, plus more time means more people can jump on board.”
To donate, visit solvingkidscancer.org.uk/appeal/kayla
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