A CAMPAIGN has been lodged to send a Hampshire girl to Europe for treatment that will change her life.

Aimee Otworowski was born 12 weeks early, and suffered problems with her lungs and breathing.

At six months old, it was found that the Blackfield Primary School pupil had a rare type of lung disease, that was treated and she now rarely feels the effects.

But due to spending her early life in hospital her parents, Emma and David, from Holbury, missed all the weaning windows to teach her to eat and drink, meaning she now solely relies on feeding through a tube.

Now a campaign has been launched to send five-year-old Aimee and her mum to a specialist feeding clinic in Austria.

There, she will learn to eat independently, as well as teach the family the key skills and knowledge they need to help.

The local community is rallying round the campaign by the organisation Tree of Hope to raise £15,000 to fund the treatment.

Emma, 35, said: "Every time we tried to teach her she would get poorly, and had no interest in eating.

"She fell dependant on the tube, and you could say it's psychological now.

"We want to go to the clinic as they have an amazing success rate, as well as insight and knowledge to get her off the tube.

"It was a hard time, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but other parents go through a lot worse.

"It was hard for our eight-year-old son, Dan, as well because he missed out on us being around all the time."

Family friend Joe Pidgley, has chosen to take a unique challenge to raise funds for the cause.

The 30-year-old will take on the Ten y Fan challenge, which will see him attempt to climb Pen y Fan, a mountain in Wales, ten times within 24 hours, which equates to the equivalent height as Mount Everest.

The fellow Holbury resident has been training at the cliffs at Lepe Beach, in his home gym, and the gym at Fawley Refinery, where he works.

Joe will take on the challenge on February 9, and will attempt five climbs this weekend.

He said: "

I have two daughters who are my life, and this only makes my empathy for the family even stronger.

"I want to do this because she is in great great need of this, and I believe in mucking together for those in need, especially local people that you know."