Images by: SEAN DOYLE

Little Eden Smith was the star of the show as Holmfirth turned pink to celebrate her seventh birthday.

Her family thought a few people might wear pink for the day to raise a few pounds in sponsorship money but the reality left them blown away.

More than 90 schools and 190 workplaces and businesses pulled out all the stops. Holmfirth was bedecked in pink bunting and the traders had spent hours if not days on some amazing window displays.

At lunchtime dad Lee – sporting pink hair himself – mum Jen and sister Tia took Eden back to Scholes Junior & Infant School for an emotional reunion in the playground with friends she hadn’t seen in months.

The whole school turned out to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

But that was only the start of an emotional afternoon as the family took Eden around the shops in Holmfirth town centre.

Lee said: “We thought it would take about an hour to get round but it took three hours. The shops in Holmfirth have gone that extra mile and it was just amazing. There have been quite a few tears along the way.

“Eden was knocking on the shop windows and the staff themselves couldn’t believe she was there. They all wanted pictures taken with her.

“The love shown for us is like nothing we have ever experienced before. We’d be walking down the street and someone would do a double-take and realise it was Eden and would come and have a chat. It was really heart-warming.”

READ MORE: Happy birthday, Eden!

The family lost count of the number of presents Eden was given but there weren’t just presents for Eden. Big sister Tia wasn’t forgotten about either – and a pet shop even gave them some gifts for the family’s three cats!

“People must have spent hours or days making things and decorating their shops and you are just dumbstruck when you see it. It’s really made Eden’s day and we can’t thank people enough,” said Lee.

Gallery of images by: SEAN DOYLE

Eden is undergoing treatment for the aggressive childhood cancer neuroblastoma and scans have just revealed she is free of active disease.

A massive fundraising campaign was launched to raise around £320,000 to send her to New York for Bivalent Vaccine treatment, which would give her the best chance of preventing the cancer from coming back. After a mammoth effort the fundraising total is within sight.

Eden also had her fill of cake and sweets and her day rounded off with a party and a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ by Hade Edge Brass Band.

“It was a long day but Eden was full of cake and full of beans,” added Lee. “She was the star of the show all right and it was wonderful.”