Poorly Freya to take part in charity walk with celebrity Pete Wicks

Pete Wicks, from The Only Way Is Essex, will be alongside Freya Felton, from Willenhall , at the Promise Dreams walk from Himley Hall on July 17.

Freya suffers from a debilitating illness, having been diagnosed with pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas 10 years ago.

It causes the young girl extreme pain every day, meaning she had to leave school and be taught at home.

But the determined girl is to take part in her seventh consecutive Promise Dreams walk - a trek from Himley to Wolverhampton.

The walk, which she will do alongside tattooed Wicks, raises money for gifts and days out for ill children like herself.

Wicks agreed to do the walk with her during a meet-and-greet in Derby. He has since visited her home before appearing for an event at Yates bar in Wolverhampton.

The pair met at a friend of mother Claire Fenton's last year.

Mr Fenton said: "He (Wicks) followed Freya n myself on Twitter and I then told him about Freya's illness and he kept in touch too

"Then we visited him at his calender signing in Derby were he told her he'd do this year's walk with her.

"He kept messaging seeing how Freya was as her illness deteriorated and she was in and out of Birmingham Children's Hospital.

She added: "This will be Freya's seventh walk for dreams as Freyaswalkers and in total alone she's raised with her team £16,597.89

"But overall we're on about £23,000 with our own fundraisers.

"She volunteers her time to doing and helping with bag packs, bucket collections, fetes, events and she dresses as poppet to the charity mascot.

We helped Tues morning delivering leaflets to the houses along the route for the walk.

Freya, herself, received a two-tier Wendy House from Promise Dreams seven years ago.

Mrs Fenton said: "It's helped her, given her a place to go on her own and play safely due to her conditions.

"That other children will have there wishes whatever they may be, will make them feel how she still does.

"Maybe forget for a while and have memories to last a lifetime or life a little bit easier and a distraction to take them away from their illnesses for a smile.

"So even through her life long illness and her pain she still wants to help other children have there wishes come true."

So far, for this year's walk, £530 has been raised. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/freyaswalkers-with-pirate-pete