THE parents of Hampshire bomb blast victim Laura Giddings are setting up a charity to help young amputees across the country lead normal lives.

Tony and Mandy Giddings, from the New Forest, want to educate other families about the range of high quality artificial limbs not available to many on the NHS.

The couple say they are establishing the charity, Peggy and Friends, as patients are often kept in the dark about alternatives through private treatment.

They have been campaigning for improvements in the NHS artificial limb service since their nine-year-old daughter lost a foot in a terrorist explosion at Planet Hollywood in South Africa in August last year.

Mr and Mrs Giddings helped to spearhead the Daily Echo's triumphant Make A Difference campaign which has forced a government U-turn to overhaul the current system.

Mandy said: "This charity will be a network support group to put amputees in touch with each other in their area. It will also educate parents about what limbs are available because the NHS is not telling them.

"The isolation we felt was terrible and we do not want other parents to go through that. At present there are no organisations devoted specifically to young amputees."

She said the charity would have a board of medical experts, including Bob Watts, the owner of Dorset Orthopaedic private clinic in Blashford, near Ringwood, and orthopaedic consultant David Barrett, who specialises in artificial knees.

The board would also provide a basic factsheet. "There is enough money in the NHS to provide everyone with adequate artificial limbs and even with silicone coverings but that is not happening," said Mandy.

"She added that it would be named Peggy and Friends because Laura's nickname for her limb was Peggy.

Anyone who wants to know more should write to the couple at The Hollies, Penn Common, Bramshaw, near Lyndhurst, Hampshire, SO43 7JN.

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