A five-year-old boy is hoping to pay for a new incubator at the neonatal unit where he was born prematurely.

Dhillon Manku has raised £8,000 of his £35,000 target for the Kingston Hospital charity Born Too Soon – to try to ensure staff can help other families like his.

His mum Sharn said the family, including Dhillon’s dad Jas, had been well looked after by the hospital.

She said: “Having the support from Kingston Hospital’s neonatal unit at such a difficult time was absolutely amazing, and their care was second to none.

“It was Dhillon’s idea to start fundraising for Born Too Soon and to support other premature babies and their families.

“He is so excited to fund a new incubator for the unit and we are so proud of everything that he has done.”

His efforts so far have included organising a golf day, a coffee morning at his local Starbucks, and a sponsored swim on his fifth birthday, which raised £5,000.

And now he has been given a certificate of achievement by the Mayor of Kingston, Cllr Thay Thayalan.

He joined Dhillon in testing out the new state-of-the-art “Baby Leo” incubator the money will help fund.

Cllr Thayalan said: “Dhillon is an extraordinarily selfless young man and he is doing an amazing thing in raising funds for Kingston Hospital’s Neonatal Unit.

“It was a privilege to visit the unit with Dhillon and see the new incubator the funds he is raising will help buy.

“I was delighted to present him with a certificate and thank him and his family for their efforts to help Kingston Hospital and the community.”

Cllr Thayalan joins notable figures Peter Andre and Juan Mata in having given Dhillon his support, and the young fundraiser was a special guest this year at Kingston Hospital, where he turned on the Christmas lights.

Now, Dhillon wants to recruit children to do a “sponsored bounce” at Oxygen Freejumping trampoline park in January 2019.

To support Dhillon in his fundraising efforts to support Born Too Soon, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/dhillonmanku.