A "LIVEWIRE" little girl who has a life-threatening condition was the inspiration for a fund-raising afternoon for a national charity.

Two-year-old Phoebe Birch, who attends a playgroup in Wilden Village Hall, Wilden Lane, Stourport, has cystic fibrosis - an inherited disorder of the lungs and digestive system.

Yesterday, hot on the heels of Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week, fellow toddlers and their parents went along to the playgroup to hear Phoebe's mother Jo talk about the condition and ask for donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

"Phoebe's a total live wire - you can't help but adore her," said Pat Hatton, who runs the Wilden Childcare Co-operative. "She's a lovely, delightful child, full of character and a lot of people wouldn't even know she was ill.

"She'll hopefully be joining the nursery class at Wilden First School with a lot of the other children so it's important to raise awareness."

Mrs Hatton, 50, of Offmore Road, Kidderminster, added: "All the children know she has to take her medicine before she eats - they won't let her eat before taking it!"

Cystic fibrosis is the UK's most common life-threatening disease for white people, and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust is one of the leading charities searching for a cure and caring for sufferers.