A Derbyshire bus company has raised almost £25,000 for a charity that aims to make dreams come true for children living with life-threatening illnessnes.

East Midlands-based charity When You Wish Upon a Star was chosen by staff and customers as bus firm Trentbarton's charity of the year for 2017 and then again in 2018. Trentbarton operates services in South Derbyshire and in Burton.

With the last of the fund-raising now finished, the grand total raised is £24,768 for the charity.

Nicola Brien, corporate fund-raiser at When You Wish Upon a Star, said: "We would like to say a huge, great, big, massive thank you to the staff of Trentbarton who have raised over £24,000 for When You Wish Upon a Star.

"It's been such a pleasure to work with them. We are thrilled and can't thank them enough for their incredible efforts throughout our partnership, helping us to continue making wishes come true."

Amid many fund-raising highlights through the two years, the boxing tournament stood out.

Drivers and other staff from Trentbarton, which has routes from Burton to Derby via the X38, donned gloves and got into the ring, many for the first time.

Top of the 'Demolition in the Depot' bill was reserved for Tom Morgan, director of service delivery, who took on former pro boxer and now driver Gavin McGill.

Gavin was then chosen to accompany When You Wish Upon a Star on its annual Christmas trip treating sick children to a flying visit to Lapland to meet elves, huskies, Rudolf and Santa.

Other members of staff tackled mountains such as Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and then Snowdon in 24 hours – and of course they were taken by bus between the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales.

Trentbarton's namesake initiative, which sees buses named after loved ones for £100 or more, also contributed to the fund-raising with £2,400 donated.

Jeff Counsell, managing director at Trentbarton, said: "It's been an incredible two years of partnership with When You Wish Upon a Star.

"It's a marvellous charity doing magical work and it is no surprise that our staff have been generous with their time and energy to enable more and more wishes to be granted."

Read about the wishes granted by the charity: whenyouwishuponastar.org.uk/wishes .