PARENTS Jody and Tony Cross want answers. They have watched their brave two-year-old Lydia first suffer beyond belief as her body was racked with meningitis and then the terrible ordeal of losing both her legs below the knee.

They can not believe that Lydia's condition was not spotted earlier and think that if it had been her legs could have been saved.

The Chippenham family relied on the expertise of the out of hours service at the town's hospital.

Incredibly only weeks earlier their younger daughter Millie had also suffered from meningitis but mercifully survived and did not suffer the terrible complications that Lydia had to cope with.

But the girls' parents believe the fact that Millie had already contracted the deadly disease should have made health professionals even more alert.

This case will undoubtedly end up in court and it is impossible to judge what will happen.

But whatever the outcome this family will never recover from their terrible tragedy and Lydia will have to live with the aftermath for ever.

Her parents have gained some strength from the story of Heather Mills, now the wife of Paul McCartney, who lost a leg below the knee but still looks good in short skirts and a bikini thanks to the wonderful advances in artificial limbs.

The Gazette hopes its readers will be able to help Lydia get the best possible treatment to overcome her disablity and has launched a Lydia Appeal.

Some of the money is likely to be held in trust to help pay for the most modern artificial limbs available once Lydia has stopped growing so rapidly.

Cash could also be used to adapt the family's home or buy aids to make life easier.

Even if the family win its battle with the health trust these types of legal cases often take years to come to court and to be finalised.