Islanders in Jersey have turned out in their thousands to help find a cure for what is at present a terminal illness.

Last year a Jersey teenager was diagnosed with Lafora Body Disease - an extremely rare condition. There are only 200 known cases in the world.

Collection pots at at a fund-raiser in the grounds of Le Rocquier School bore a familiar face. 19-year-old John Sharp was a pupil there.

Four years ago John began having fits and last year was diagnosed with an extremely rare, and, as yet, incurable illness called Lafora Body Disease.

Seizures become more frequent and mental faculties deteriorate.

Five years ago researchers discovered the cause -a gene mutation - and are working on a cure. That costs money and as there's no government funding, John's mum Alice Morgan and helpers, are now devoted to raising as much cash as they can for the research through the Hope For John charity.

The quest for a cure is going on in research centres in America and Canada and that's why Hope For John counts its donations in dollars - 60,000 so far, and rising.