THE parents of brave Shannon Bradshaw have organised a bone marrow testing session to help another child suffering with the same rare disease.

Seven-year-old Shannon, from Great Sankey, died last July after she was too ill to undergo a bone marrow operation. Now parents Alan and Patti Bradshaw are helping another girl suffering with aplastic anaemia, Teigan Twigg, aged five, from Bootle.

A donor session to add people to the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register, was held in 53 North on Bridge Street on Wednesday in a bid to find a match for the Merseyside youngster.

Patti said staff from the Anthony Nolan Trust were especially delighted by the number of black people who attended the clinic - as there are a low number of black people on the register. As Teigan is black, there is a greater chance of her bone marrow matching up with another black person.

Patti added: "Out of the 6,000 people that registered when Shannon was sick, only three were black and they would only expect the numbers that were there on Wednesday to be found from about six clinics.

"I was a bit disappointed with the numbers but she was so pleased it made me feel better."

The event was backed by comedian Charlie Hale and also enjoyed support from ex-world boxing champion Ernie Shavers and former Big Brother winner Craig Phillips.

The next charity event being organised to raise money for the aplastic anaemia trust will be the London triathlon being completed by the Bradshaws and friends in two weeks time.

They are currently hard in training and if you can sponsor them call the newsdesk on 434113.