A footballer has inspired the youth section of her club to raise hundreds of pounds for a heart charity.

Despite living with a serious heart condition, Ella Halfyard is the top scorer and captain of Buckland Athletic U16 girls team.

Her passion for the beautiful game saw the club select the British Heart Foundation as the official charity for its youth tournament last month, raising £403 over the weekend through donations with Ella’s family collecting money with buckets.

Ella’s story has also inspired Buckland Athletic U14s to undertake their own fundraising challenge for the charity. The team hopes to raise £750 by taking part in a 180-mile bikeathon, equivalent to the distance of a return trip from Buckland’s VX3 stadium at Homer’s Heath to Bristol Children’s Hospital where Ella is treated.

‘Ella has had fantastic support from doctors and nurses at Bristol Children’s Hospital. She is a courageous and resilient young lady, who also happens to be amazing at football,’ said Sam Gill who is organising the bikeathon.

The bikeathon will take place on two bikes at Winner’s Gym in Newton Abbot between 9am and 9pm on July 25.

To donate to the fundraiser, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/buckland-u14

Earlier this year, Ella’s 18-year-old sister Megan raised over £3,500 for the British Heart Foundation when she ran the London Marathon after being inspired by her sister’s determination and bravery.

Ella, who lives in Holcombe, has a heart rhythm condition called supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), which means that her heart can periodically beat too quickly due to a fault in the electrical system that controls her heartbeat.

She has a device in her chest that monitors her heart activity and she has been in and out of Bristol Children’s Hospital for numerous tests, scans and surgeries over the past three years, including one heart surgery that took place while she was still awake.