A FOUR-year-old girl from Pontypool has starred in a heart-wrenching film aimed at raising awareness of how children with cancer can be separated from their families over Christmas.

Ruby Mugleston was one of eleven children affected by cancer to share what they love about Christmas day.

The film was launched by Morrisons and its charity partner CLIC Sargent.

It carries the message that “children with cancer don’t always get to share Christmas with their families”.

This is because children may be treated far away from home and can’t return from the hospital where they are receiving treatment.

Families of children with cancer can see their costs rise by up to £600-a-month, according to CLIC Sargent research, and this includes the cost of travel.

CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading charity for young cancer patients and their families, aims to help them by providing Homes from Home, which offer free accommodation close to the hospital.

Ruby’s father Paul Mugleston said: “Ruby loved taking part in the video with her sister Emily and brother Finley.

“Our kids had never been to London before. They got to stay in a hotel and to play on the set.

“It’s the only holiday we’ve had this year because we simply couldn’t book one because we didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Andy Atkinson, group customer and marketing director at Morrisons, said: “Keeping families together at Christmas when a child is unwell with cancer is such important work. We wanted to explain that in this film, featuring children helped by CLIC Sargent.”