A CHRISTCHURCH teenager is hoping to fund life-saving cancer research to the tune of £25,000 by producing a Christmas hit.

Sixteen-year-old Matt Lillywhite is due to release his single, Beautiful, in a bid to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

He hopes the Christmas single will go in at number one and that the original song and remix will get into the Top 40 when they are released on December 2.

Matt said he was partly inspired by blogger and activist Stephen Sutton, who sadly passed away last year after a battle with bowel cancer.

"Cancer has affected most people in some way or another- whether they are diagnosed with it, or a family member or friend has been", he said.

"But also some of my friends parents have passed away because of cancer so I felt that I should do something.

"I can’t really do anything to stop them being diagnosed. However, I know that I can make an attempt to ensure that nobody has to die from cancer again. So Cancer Research UK was a charity in which I felt I would like to help."

The remix, composed by Klaas, who have had several European chart hits, has already been on YouTube, with around 20,000 views.

Matt, who is related to BAFTA award-winning composer Christopher Gunning, is trying to ensure celebrities and artists show their support by promoting his project via social media.

He is also attempting to break a Guinness World Record for the most backing singers recorded in one song and hopes to have a choir of 7,000 people for a different version being released next year.

Cancer Research UK fundraising manager, Tanisha Greenwood, said: "Social media has helped the single to gather momentum. It is expected to enter the charts on release, which is very exciting.

"It is such an unusual challenge to raise vital funds for Cancer Research UK.

"Matt has put a lot of hard work into the project so far and we can't thank him enough for his support."

Beautiful is currently on iTunes to pre order and will be officially released on iTunes and other online stores from December 2nd.