KIND HEARTED comedian Ricky Tomlinson is backing a campaign spearheaded by a Wrexham mum.

Eileen Pritchard, of Penycae, is aiming to raise awareness of children suffering strokes and the Royle Family star, who has a house in Coedpoeth, is backing the cause after a chance meeting.

Eileen’s daughter, Daisy, suffered a stroke when she was just 21-months-old, shortly after surgery for a heart defect at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Daisy, who is now four, spent five days on a life support machine and has had further surgery since, but she has amazed countless people with the strength of her recovery.

Last year Eileen and Daisy met Ricky when they were both invited to attend a special ceremony marking the beginning of work on an extension at Ronald McDonald House, an accommodation centre for the relatives of children who are patients at Alder Hey.

Eileen and Ricky have both been instrumental in raising funds for the facility.

“While I was there I spent time talking to Ricky, he was a lovely man and we got on well,” she said. “I gave him one of the cards I have printed highlighting that children can have strokes.

“I didn’t hear anything from Ricky after the ceremony and didn’t think anything more about it,” Eileen added.

“But at the start of this week he got in contact to say he would like to donate £500 towards the campaign I run raising awareness of strokes in children.

“It is very generous. As soon as I had finished talking to him on the phone I looked at the television and there was Ricky doing an advert. It was such a coincidence,” laughed Eileen.

She said the money would be spent on new stickers and information leaflets.

Eileen added she felt awareness among the public of the fact young people can fall victim to strokes has gone up significantly in the last couple of years, but there was still more work to be done.