SHOPPERS and staff at a Gwent supermarket helped raise more than £1,000 for a seriously ill toddler.

Customers of Asda in Brynmawr raised £750 through a bucket collection and raffle for Nantyglo two-year-old Ellie Pyle, and the company donated an extra £300.

Worried mum Sarah Smart, 23, is desperate to find a diagnosis for her daughter, who has delayed speech and co-ordination skills and suffers from epileptic fits.

Jodie Hughes, events co-ordinator at Asda Brynmawr said: "We saw the story about Ellie in the Argus and she looks like such a sweet little girl. We knew the customers would help out, because they are really generous, and so are our staff."

Sarah Smart said: "I wrote to Asda asking if they could help me, and they did. It's fantastic. I'm really grateful."

People in Blaenau Gwent have now helped raise more than £4,000 for Ellie, which Ms Smart plans to spend on intensive physiotherapy at a private clinic.

A two-week course of treatment in Oxford helped improve Ellie's condition.

Ms Smart said: "I want to say a great big thank you for everybody's support. Without this money I couldn't afford to send Ellie to physio. The one course has made such a difference to her already."

Ms Smart thinks Ellie may have the rare neuro-genetic disorder Angelman Syndrome, which includes many of her symptoms.

She is hoping professor Jill Clayton-Smith, an expert in Angelman syndrome at the Children's University Hospital, Manchester will make a diagnosis at an appointment next month.