Three owls paid a visit last week to the children’s ward at Kingston Hospital to mark childhood cancer awareness month.

The owls, called Gizmo, Mo, and Elmo, popped in to Kingston Hospital last week on Tuesday September, 11.

The event was organised by Momentum Children’s Charity, which supports children with life-challenging conditions.

Claire, the mum of Vinny, 6, who receives treatment at the hospital, said: “It was lovely seeing the owls at Kingston Hospital.

“Vinny has to visit the hospital every day for a month to receive treatment for cancer.

“If a child has a positive experience at the hospital, they won’t be so afraid to return.”

Nicki Vaughan, senior sister for paediatrics at Kingston Hospital, said: “We were delighted to welcome the owls into the hospital yesterday. Our staff and patients were both mesmerised by them.

“The visit gave children on our paediatric wards and those in children’s outpatients a rare and wonderful experience while being in hospital and we would like to say thank you to Momentum Children’s Charity for organising the visit.”

For the entire month of September, charities across the country will be supporting Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to help raise awareness.

Almost 4,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every year, that’s 10 families every single day.