WIRRAL babies and toddlers have raised an astonishing £20,526 by taking part in a sponsored fancy dress swim for research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.

Members of Water Babies Chester & Wirral dressed up as Peppa Pig pirates and princesses from 24 to 30 June to take part in the 'Splashathon' fundraiser.

Classes at Foxfield School, Meadowside School and Stanley School have helped raise £20,526.

Wirral Globe:

Callum Stewart and his mum at Foxfield School

Across the country 50,000 Water Babies are aiming to raise £1m for charity Tommy's.

Tommy's funds four research centres in the UK that investigate causes and find treatments for miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.

Franchisee of Water Babies Chester & Wirral, Emma Adams told the Globe: "At Water Babies Chester & Wirral we have had a really fun week – the babies and children had an amazing time and we have raised a staggering amount for Tommy’s.

"A cause close to many of us.”

Wirral Globe:

Zak Roderick and Rosie Kenright at Stanley School

In 2017 the Splashathon event raised £1.175m - enough to run Tommy's National Miscarriage Research Centre for two and a half years.

Steve Franks, chief executive of Water Babies said: “We are extremely proud of the ongoing work our swimmers; their families and our staff have done with Tommy’s.

"We’ve raised millions of pounds for the profound work Tommy’s does, which deeply effects our community, and our Splashathons embody exactly what we aim to provide in our lessons; water confidence and joy.”

Cash raised from this year's event will fund a new centre dedicated to ensuring the best maternity care is available to every parent.

You can donate to Splashathon at

www.tommys.org/splashathondonate