'A bionic arm will mean I can take up skipping'

An eight-year-old girl who is aiming to get a bionic arm by Christmas says she is looking forward to being able to skip and tie her own shoelaces.

Zoey Hampton-Pidgeon, from Trench, was born without part of her left arm - and has been chosen for the Big Hero 3 campaign.

The families of three selected children are raising £20,000 in a joint fundraising campaign, which is run by the Open Bionics Foundation in the US.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up for the families, which has already raised nearly £4,000.

Zoey's grandma Jann said all efforts were going into raising the money needed.

"We're bombarding social media with the Go Fund Me page. Local convenience stores and businesses are doing raffles for us too," she said.

"Its £60,000 for the three arms altogether but Open Bionics have already secured £40,000 of that for us.

"So £20,000 is a big ask, but its split between the three families. Fingers crossed she'll get her arm by Christmas."

Zoey told BBC Radio Shropshire getting the bionic arm would mean she could be more independent.

She said: "I'm looking forward to being able to use a skipping rope and tying my shoelaces on my own."

Her dad Tom said the artificial limb would make a big difference for the family and he said it was great Zoey had been selected as one of the children to benefit.

"It would just make us all happy seeing Zoey doing things she wasn't able to do before - making life that little bit easier for her," he said.

"I found out when I was at work. My phone went off and I had a look - I just started smiling to myself I was that happy.

"I couldn't wait to come home and give her the news."

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