A LITTLE girl’s fight against cancer has inspired boxing-style fitness classes.

Ella Morran, nine, of Waldridge Village, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, spent her early years battling leukaemia, enduring two years of chemotherapy and eight months in hospital.

She also suffers with a rare immune system condition called mastocytosis and contracted other illnesses, including pneumonia, shingles and salmonella, because her resistance was low.

When she was ill she used to play-box with her boxing enthusiast dad Robbie, imagining she was fighting her illness.

Now, after five years in remission, Ella and her mum Hayley, a personal fitness trainer, have started a class that teaches girls boxing moves - but not punching techniques.

“We don’t get the all-clear for four years, but she is good,” said Mrs Morran.

“Her dad boxes and she used to sit and put the gloves on because she couldn’t get out of her room.

“He used to sit and box with her and I used to say “don’t do that with her, she’s a little girl”.

“He said it was something that she could do, she could put the gloves on and pretend she was fighting with him.

“They used to pretend they were fighting the cancer.”

Mrs Morran said Ella got the idea of running a class for other girls a few weeks ago and the first two had been held.

“We do footwork drills, group games and challenges and boxing moves but there is no contact,’’ she said.

The sessions are held on Thursdays between 6pm and 6.45pm at the Cornerstones Community Centre, North Burns, Chester-le-Street, and cost £4.

Youngsters are welcome to turn up to the sessions on the night.

For further details call 07780 990580.