Sir Cliff Richard has recorded a video message of support for young brain tumour survivor Lyra Cole from Highbridge.
The singing legend was responding to the news that Lyra’s Christmas single, a cover of ‘When a Child is Born’, has reached number one in the music download charts, beating Stormzy to the top spot.
As Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here, six-year-old Lyra has made the Christmas song for the charity Brain Tumour Research after going through emergency brain surgery as a five-month-old baby.
Sir Cliff says he thinks Lyra’s version is ‘absolutely wonderful’.
He describes her as a “beautiful, brave young lady” and says he is “thrilled” she made the record to help other brain tumour patients in future.
He pays tribute to Lyra’s “fantastic” singing and wishes her all the luck in the world, adding that the song deserves to get to number one in the charts.
Lyra, who is a pupil at Berrow School, and her aunt, Jessie Hawkins, chose to raise money by covering the song, which was also covered by Cliff in 2003.
Jessie, Lyra’s aunt, said: “We are so thrilled with the response we have had and to get a message from Sir Cliff really is the icing on the cake.”
“We hope that when people listen, they think about everything Lyra has been through and make a donation to give hope to families who, like us, know the devastation caused by a brain tumour.”
The single is being sold as a 99 pence download on Amazon here and is the UK’s number one single and the UK’s second best-selling album.
The single was shot at several local locations including Sanders Garden Centre in Brent Knoll, Mendip Snowsport Centre and Tropicana Icescape in Weston.
Amid a whirlwind of media coverage, the family has appeared on BBC Points West and ITV West. Lyra’s story has also been featured in the national press.
