SIX cousins – four of whom were treated in special care after they were born – are cycling round Grafham Water on a 10-mile sponsored bike ride to raise money for The Hunts Post New Life Appeal. The ride was the idea of 11-year-old Emily Porter who was bo

SIX cousins - four of whom were treated in special care after they were born - are cycling round Grafham Water on a 10-mile sponsored bike ride to raise money for The Hunts Post New Life Appeal.

The ride was the idea of 11-year-old Emily Porter who was born nine weeks early, weighing just two-and-a-half pounds, and was treated in the special care baby unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon.

Emily will be joined by her cousin, Megan McGuire, 13, who was born six weeks early and treated in a special care baby unit at a hospital in Slough.

Also taking to their bikes to help fundraise are Emily's sister, nine-year-old Chloe, her brother James, aged seven, and Megan's sister, Morag, 10, and her brother, Finn, eight.

Chloe and Finn were both checked out in special care for viral infections.

The families, who both live in Hemingford Grey, are planning the bike ride for Sunday, April 20.

Emily, a pupil at Hemingford Grey Primary School, has drawn up sponsor forms for the group to use and a covering letter saying: "Anyone who has been in special care or if you know someone who has and you would like to join me and raise more money, please let my mum know."

Her mum, Gillian Porter, told The Hunts Post: "Because Emily was born so early, I never got to ante-natal care classes but the special care unit at Hinchingbrooke had a mother and toddler group so you could go back and meet up. If it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't have been in a circle of friends - so the special care unit goes on helping mums even after you leave hospital."

She added: "The children's dads will be cycling alongside them and we are hoping other families will join in and raise even more money for the campaign."

The New Life Appeal aims to raise £70,000 for maternity services at Hinchingbrooke, including the special care baby unit (SCBU). One in 10 babies born at the hospital is treated in special care.