The excitement is building in the Cross household, with news that two-year-old Lydia is to receive her first pair of 'new' legs.

Lydia and her parents Tony and Jodie are soon to travel from their Chippenham home to Bournemouth, where prosthetics specialists will fit her with a set of high-tech new limbs.

The prosthetics, which will have functional joints and be colour-co-ordinated to match Lydia's skin, will also come with toes, to look lifelike and to give her optimum mobility.

Lydia, whose legs were amputated below the knee in November after meningitis went undiagnosed by doctors and septicaemia set in, has already had casts taken of her legs, and her parents said she is excited about her "new leggies and toes".

The new limbs, which will be followed by a second set within 12 months, are part of a year's free treatment, worth £12,000, which has been donated to Lydia by the clinic.

The Gazette & Herald is now working hard to raise funds for her continued treatment through its Lydia Cross Appeal. The appeal now stands at £1,600 and the latest recruit to throw himself into the fundraising from a very great height is Lydia's uncle.

Gary Cross, 41, from Birmingham, is a riot squad officer in the West Midlands Constabulary and with three of his fellow officers, is planning a parachute jump at RAF Netheravon, near Pewsey, on April 11.

Mr Cross described how his niece's ordeal and courage had inspired him to take a giant leap for the Gazette's appeal. "It was like the end of the world for the whole family, when this happened to Lydia," he said.

"We couldn't believe that lightning could strike twice, but Millie, Lydia's little sister, contracted meningitis, then Lydia developed septicaemia.

"Thankfully Millie recovered, but because Lydia wasn't diagnosed sooner, she lost her legs.

"When my brother Tony, Lydia's dad, rang to tell us what was happening and that she had suffered organ failure, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"It was just like a blur I just got to the hospital as soon as possible.

"We have all been pulling together as a family though and everyone, most of all Lydia, has been so positive."

He continued: "I was so impressed to hear about the Gazette appeal and about how generous people were being.

"I wanted to do something to help and was really pleased when three of my fellow officers said they wanted to join in a parachute jump too.

"I am ex-Army and have done the parachuting course before, but some of the others are doing it for the first time.

"What's more, the Army has told us that we can do the jump free, instead of paying £200 each for the course, so that means that all we raise can go straight into the Gazette fund."

Lydia and her mum and dad will be there to watch him take the plunge.

"It's great to hear that Gary and his mates are doing this for the appeal," said dad Tony, who is an Army sergeant based at Hullavington.

"But it's just like him to do something so exciting, so he can raise as much as possible."

Lydia's mum Jodie said: "People are being so generous. Family, friends, people in Hullavington where we live many who have never met us."

Mr and Mrs Cross are taking legal advice after out of hours doctors working at Chippenham Hospital failed to diagnose Lydia's condition after numerous visits to the hospital, and despite the fact that her baby sister Millie had just recovered from meningitis.

The Gazette is seeking to raise as much money as possible for Lydia's future care. This week the appeal has been swelled by a postbag of generous donations including money from Wavin Plastics, members of staff at Clerical Medical in Bristol and the big-hearted regulars at Chippenham's Loyalty Social Club, who donated £150 the proceeds from a recent lunchtime raffle.

To sponsor Gary Cross, contact him at gary.cross3@btinternet.com