Oakworth brother and sister Tony and Shelley Hudson are stepping out on Sunday to raise cash for the Leeds unit which has helped their little brother. Tony, 14, and Shelley 10, who will lead a 10-mile sponsored walk, hope the proceeds will top the £350 raised last year for the Children's Heart Surgery Fund.

It is part of the Yorkshire Heart Centre at Leeds General Infirmary where their brother Joshua, now two, had major surgery at 11 days old.

Joshua was born with major arteries the wrong way round and with a hole in his heart. But he has been given a new lease of life thanks to the six-hour operation which switched the arteries. The Hudsons have been told the hole in his heart will gradually close as he gets older.

The three children's mother Jill says Joshua is now like any other two-year-old and is very active. In gratitude for the help Joshua received their father Dave has arranged for the walk to start and finish at TJ Tyres, Keighley, where he is a manager.

The route will take Tony and Shelley and a small group of supporters to St Ives Estate and Bingley and back to Keighley.

Tony, a student at Oakbank School, says: "I was hoping to do something more thrilling like abseiling off the school roof but to get more people involved we opted for the walk which everyone can enjoy."

Jill adds: "Hopefully we can raise more cash to help the fund carry on providing a centre of excellence for Yorkshire children with heart problems." She says the registered charity aims to provide the latest technology, the finest care and the best possible chance of survival to children born with problems like Joshua's.

Fund raisers have set a current target of £97,000 for a Magnifying Head camera for use on children during heart surgery. This will be the first in the UK and will be similar to machines used in France and Germany.

The children's godmother Pat Karavonic, who will join the sponsored walk leaving Worth Way at 10.30am, admits she is disappointed that few local people have agreed to take part. It is not too late to do so, either turn up on the morning or contact Jill or Pat on 01535 680803 or Lynn Preston, fund manager, on 0113 392 5742 for further details about sponsorship and donations.

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