A CHARITY set up in memory of a baby girl from Horwich will help many more children after a major cash boost from Children in Need.

The £54,000 grant means Lagan's Foundation will be able to provide help and support to an extra 70 children aged under five who have congenital heart defects (CHD) or feeding issues.

The charity was set up in the name of Lagan Katherine Anne Grant who lost her fight for life in April, 2011 aged just 15 weeks after she was born with CHD.

Lagan's parents Carren Bell and Barry Grant, wanted “something positive” to come out of their loss and started Lagan’s Foundation to help children with the condition. It is the only organisation of its kind to provide regular volunteer support at home for children with CHD and/or feeding difficulties.

Statistics show that one in 100 children in the UK are born with congenital heart defects and one in three will have a feeding issue — and the numbers of children with feeding issues in general is thought to be much higher.

Volunteers spend time with the children, including siblings, providing activities to enhance their quality of life, away from hospital appointments and everyday stress.

Since it was founded, the charity has placed trained volunteers with more than 100 children across the country.

Miss Bell, who lives in Horwich with her family, said: "This money will help 70 new children across the UK who volunteers can spend time with to enhance their quality of life through different activities."

The money will pay for training — which is delivered by Alder Hey Children's Hospital — and expenses for volunteers to travel to the child's home.

Miss Bell said that the charity was receiving referrals from medical professionals and a training package would soon be delivered in Southampton.

She said: "We were quite emotional when we found out the charity had received the grant.

“For an organisation like Children in Need, which deals with regional and specific organisations rather than a UK-wide charity such as Lagan’s Foundation, to put their name to our charity shows how far we have come and how we are going strength to strength.”