A SEVEN-year-old from Pokesdown hopes to raise £500 for charity after writing a book based on her own experience of epilepsy.

Felicity Bennett, who goes to Pokesdown Primary School, has created the 3,000-word tale of Purple Girl and the Epilepsy Problem, featuring a superhero who helps a little girl called Polly to cope with the condition.

With the help of Cranleigh Community Church, her parents Kathy and Pete had 125 copies of the 11-chapter book printed to sell in aid of the charity, Epilepsy Action, and they have already sold nearly 100.

Felicity's proud dad, Pete, said: "We're up to £400 for the charity so far and hope to build it up a bit more.

"Felicity had the idea for Purple Girl a while ago as she has a purple leotard and tights, which she wore for a fancy dress party."

He said that after Felicity learned about the annual purple day to raise awareness of epilepsy, she decided to get the story of Purple Girl written out for others to read.

"It is about a little girl called Polly who gets very worried because she is diagnosed with epilepsy. Polly has a type called Focal Epilepsy, which is where she sort of sometimes forgets where she is and slumps down for a second."

Pete said that writing the story and having people read, enjoy and donate for it has improved Felicity's confidence a lot.

"Because she wanted it to be realistic, Purple Girl can't cure Polly from epilepsy, but she can help her with it.

"It also talks about an EEG, which is where Felicity has to wear electrodes on her head for three or four days. She has to go to school with it on and wear a little backpack, which records all of the data if she has a seizure and goes back to the hospital each day to have the battery changed. Then they remove the electrodes using acetone, because they're put on with a special glue, which can smell and sting a bit.

"We've given Felicity a little bit of guidance with putting the book together, but all the words and the phrasing are hers. It is very much her book.

"We have got a Purple Girl Facebook page, which we have sold copies through, as well as in the church and by Felicity at her school."

Pete said that copies of the book have been sent to people as far away as Canada and New Zealand.

For more information, Facebook.com/SuperheroPurpleGirl or visit Justgiving.com/Kathy-Bennett3