A seriously ill six-year-old girl from Rickmansworth has enjoyed a special Christmas party hosted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Doctor Who.

Ellie-Mae Reid, from Heron Close, attended the Starlight Children's Foundation festive tea party at No 11 Downing Street.

She suffers from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, and was one of 40 seriously ill children invited to the charity's event.

After stopping to see the door of No 10 Downing Street, Ellie-Mae and her grandmother Linda were invited into a winter themed party.

MP George Osborne welcomed the children and their families to Downing Street and wished them a Happy Christmas.

Celebrity guest and Starlight ambassador Matt Smith, who currently plays Doctor Who in the BBC series of the same name, introduced the guests to a herd of reindeer.

Mr Smith said: “Thousands of children will spend this Christmas in hospital and, along with a White Christmas, this year I am wishing for some much-needed festive cheer for these kids.”

Former Spice girl Geri Halliwell and CBBC presenter Gemma Hunt helped some of the children paint reindeer moulds and decorate the Starlight wishing tree, while Santa gave each child an early Christmas present and listened to their Christmas wishes.

Mr Osborne said: “We don’t often have as much fun at Downing Street as we have this afternoon.

“It is extremely humbling for me and my staff to hear some of the children’s stories and we hope that by coming along to our Christmas party we have helped them forget their illnesses for an hour or two and simply have a bit of fun.”

Starlight Children's Foundation grants wishes to ill children and and provides entertainment in hospitals and hospices.

Neil Swan, chief executive of the charity, said: “Christmas can be an incredibly difficult time for families with a very poorly child.”