Isla Tansey: Painted stones record smashed in girl's memory

More than 8,500 stones were collected

A world record for the largest display of painted stones has been smashed at a fun day in memory of a seven-year-old girl who died from spinal cancer.

Prior to her death last year, Isla Tansey started the #islastones campaign encouraging people around the world to decorate and hide stones.

The record attempt was organised by her family at an event in Argents Mead park in Hinckley, Leicestershire.

A total of 8,542 stones were collected, beating the previous record of 1,150.

Isla's mother spent months planning the fun day

Isla's mother Katherine Tansey, from Hinckley, said she had been aiming to collect at least 4,000 stones to eclipse a recent record attempt in Surrey that had yet to be verified.

Their total will need to be checked by Guinness World Records before being made official.

Mrs Tansey said: "It's a bit overwhelming, really. It's a legacy of love and smiles, which is what she was all about. She was the most beautiful child.

"People have donated so many stones - people at work, schools. They've been sent in from all over the country and even abroad."

Money raised by the family fun day will go towards a £73,000 appeal to fund a research post at London's Institute of Cancer Research to investigate childhood cancer.

People were encouraged to get creative with their decorated stones

Isla's father, Simon Tansey, said: "Isla would have been amazed. She'd have found it crazy and been clapping her hands.

"It keeps her legacy alive and it's all about raising awareness of childhood cancer, which is very close to our hearts."