The family of a three-year-old girl who is battling a rare form of cancer today spoke of her bravery through her treatment.

Niamh Sedgwick was diagnosed with a very rare Wilms tumour and underwent an operation to have her kidney removed last month.

Her parents Marie and Ian, of Moor Close Lane, Queensbury, said they were left numb when they found out she had a tumour the size of a grapefruit.

"It was a massive shock to the whole family," said Mrs Sedgwick. "I have two other children and I am a nurse and I didn't spot it straight away."

"It shook everybody how young she was and how rare it was because it only affects about 70 children in the country each year."

Mrs Sedgwick and six friends completed a 50-mile sponsored walk along the route of the Leeds-Liverpool canal on Saturday to raise funds for the Candlelighters' charity based at St James's Hospital where Niamh is being treated.

She said the playroom hugely helped her to cope through her treatment and also prevented her brother Joe, six, and 12-year-old sister Grace from becoming bored on long spells spent at the hospital.

"The playroom was stocked to the brim with an enormous assortment of creative, colourful and restful activities," she said. "We would see her smiling, doing a jigsaw however she was feeling."

Although Niamh is two months into a seven month chemotherapy treatment she is still enjoying dancing classes at Act 1 theatre school in Queensbury.

She is also taking part in national trials of new drugs to reduce the risk of the tumour returning.

"A lot of people say why us? But we say 'why not us', because it has to be somebody and we are better able to cope with support from our family and friends than a single parent," said Mrs Sedgwick, who used to work at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The sponsored walk started at Leeds railway station and their route took them through Apperley Bridge, Bingley and Steeton to finish at Malham Tarn.

Mrs Sedgwick and her sister Bridget Chappell have already raised £2,000 in pledges. Anyone else who wants to back their fundraising efforts can contact Mrs Sedgwick on (01274) 883315.