INTERNATIONAL celebrities are rallying round to raise money for a terminally-ill four year old from Blackburn.

Dolly Parton, Naomi Campbell and Uri Geller are among stars who have donated items to an auction for Ellese Mulligan-Green who has no more than 12 months to live after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

Within a week of falling ill with what was thought to be a virus, an MRI scan revealed she had a high-grade glioma and had between nine and 12 months to live.

Her parents Joanne and Philip Green have raised enough money to take Ellese to EuroDisney and are looking to fund possible treatments in America if doctors cannot do any more in the UK. This is likely to cost around £80,000.

Ray and Julie Heeks from Guide, who lost their daughter aged two due to complications with meningitis, set up the Eva Heeks Trust in her memory, and decided to help Ellese by contacting celebrities for donations.

Mr Heeks said: “We saw Ellese’s story in the paper and we knew we had to do something to help.

“When we were going through the same thing with Eva we were getting doors closed on us all the time. We were constantly being told that there was no money from government agencies.

“We knew our child might not be alive by the time funding was available, so decided to do something ourselves. We contacted celebrities for their help and hundreds replied with items we could auction off to raise money.

“Uri Geller has sent a fork he had bent which once belonged to Albert Einstein, Anita Dobson who played Angie in Eastenders has sent a signed blouse she wore on the show, and David Suchet who plays Hercule Poirot has sent a special collar and bow tie he says not to sell for less than £50.

“Dolly, Naomi and the singer Amy Studt have sent signed photos and CDs.”

Any family of a child needing help can contact the Eva Heeks Trust on www.evaheekstrust.synthasite.com The fundraiser will be held at the Poplar Social Club, Wellington Road, Accrington, on November 20 at 7.45pm.

Tickets for the fundraiser are £3.

Contact Jan Monroe on 07738 885180 for tickets.