A group of West Midlands police officers are gearing up tomorrow to raise funds for a three-year-old girl who had her legs amputated after being diagnosed with acute septicaemia.

The officers will walk 250 miles from Brighton to Barnstaple to raise money for Lydia Cross, who almost died in 2003 when many of her organs failed after she was diagnosed with Haemophilias Influenza Type B.

The fundraising trek, entitled 'Best Foot Forward 3', follows two other walks which have raised money for children with disabilities.

Inspector Barrie Thompson said: "As Lydia grows, she will need prosthetic legs to match the growth that her natural legs would have attained.

"The cost per year until Lydia stops growing is around £12,000. That means that in 16 years, the total amount necessary over the course of that time will be about £156,000."