DOZENS of fundraisers walked ten miles along Southend seafront to help a charity grant wishes to terminally ill children.

The walk was arranged by Kids in Need, a charity which has helped hundreds of children go on trips to Euro Disney, take helicopter rides, and meet their favourite stars.

Rene Zagger, who played PC Nick Klein in ITV's the Bill, was also at the walk to support the charity.

Kids in Need arranges trips for seriously ill children or those who have multiple disabilities and are aged three to 19, living in Essex.

Gloria Poole, project co-ordinator for the charity, said: "These wishes always seem to come when the children and the family are at a low ebb. It's something that really picks them up.

"The children talk about it for months afterwards and they have their memories.

"We also provide a lot of special needs trikes which are really good because if there is another child in the family who has got a bike they can go to the park as a family."

The charity started by raising money for special needs schools and children's organisations until it granted its first individual wish in 1989.

The first dream came true for a child with leukaemia who received a visit from David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst - stars of Only Fools and Horses.

The charity now provides around 80 wishes a year to Essex children.

Davina Martin, from Grays, helps raise funds for the charity after it granted a wish for her 18-year-old son David, who has Down's Syndrome.

She said: "David made a wish about five years ago to go on the set of the Bill.

"I can't describe how much pleasure he got out of it. For him it was a dream come true because he has always wanted to be an actor.

"Now he's done a film called Just Normal, and the profits of that film will go back to the charity.

"It's about a lad with Down's Syndrome who makes wishes throughout the film that everybody around him could have Down's Syndrome too."

For an application form to make a child's wish come true call 01277 225110.