A LITTLE girl whose young life has been blighted by illness helped open the new Julia's House charity shop in Devizes.

Ellie Humphries, 17 months, was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year and she and her family from Chippenham have been supported by Julia's House children's hospice since April.

On Thursday her older brother Tom, three, cut the ribbon for the new shop in Maryport Street just a few minutes away from the children's hospice on the outskirts of town.

Ellie's mum Jenna said: "Ellie requires round the clock care with lots of different medicines including chemotherapy at home. I am looking after her as well as Tom and it’s very difficult. The Julia’s House nurses have been a fantastic support to me, my husband, Ellie and Tom.”

Money raised in the shop will help support the work of the charity which opened its Devizes base in May last year. Retail manager Tracy Stanley was delighted with the opening. She said: "We have had a brilliant day and the store has been absolutely buzzing.

"It has been wonderful to have so much support from everyone in the town.”

The shop is open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm and has a large children’s department as well as a range of ladies and men’s clothing.

The charity opened a store in Salisbury last year and also has nine other shops across Dorset.

The new shop welcomes donations of goods and is looking for extra volunteers. Funds raised by the shop will go towards supporting families like Ellie’s.

Julia's House chief executive Martin Edwards was also at the opening and said the Devizes hospice is now supporting more than 50 families across Wiltshire.

A spokesman said: "Julia’s House is a charity dedicated to supporting children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions living in Dorset and Wiltshire. The majority of these children are unlikely to live into adulthood.

"It provides frequent respite and end-of-life care in its hospices in Corfe Mullen and Devizes and in families’ own homes across the two counties. As well as caring for children, it also supports parents and siblings.

"Julia’s House receives just six per cent of its total annual funding from the government, making it one of the worst-funded hospices in the UK. The charity relies on public fundraising and donations for 94 per cent of its income. The service that Julia’s House provides has been rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission."

For more information visit www.juliashouse.org