A GIRL from Wimborne St Giles hopes to get the district to wear denim to mark this year's Jeans for Genes Day on October 5.

Hannah Minns, 15, has been organising J4G events for years, raising money for research to help children with genetic disorders.

This year she has persuaded the head teacher and school council at Queen Elizabeth School in Pamphill, near Wimborne, to back her non-uniform fundraiser, and hopes to rope in more than 1,000 pupils.

Participants wear their jeans on the day and pay a donation to help children with genetic disorders.

The first event for the cause was organised by volunteer supporters of the CGD Research Trust, also based in Wimborne St Giles, and has since grown into a national event that is held every year.

This year the four original partner Jeans for Genes charities - Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, the PiA, the Society for MPS Diseases and the CGD Research Trust - are also working with three guest charities.

People with CGD, or Chronic Granulomatous Disorder, have a faulty bone marrow gene which means that certain white blood cells do not function correctly.

Hannah said she first got involved with Jeans for Genes when she met Rosemarie Rymer, who lives in the same village and works for CGD Research Trust.

"Rosemarie told me how the charity funds research into serious genetic disorders affecting children," she added.

"I think that Jeans for Genes is a fantastic local charity."

This year, Jeans for Genes stick-on patches and pocket sized beanbags called happy sacks will be on sale as well as T-shirts and zip pulls.

Among businesses taking part this year is Marks & Spencer.