A POORLY North-East toddler has been given a date to fly to the United States for vital tests.

Two-year-old Sophia Carter, from New Marske, East Cleveland, and her parents, Alison and Jon, fly to Michigan on December 5 for tests with doctor Harry Chugani, the world's leading expert on epilepsy.

The youngster touched the hearts of people across the region after The Northern Echo revealed how she suffered from hundreds of unexplained epileptic seizures every day.

Dr Chugani is Sophia's last hope of finding a cure, thanks to a series of highly-specialised tests he can carry out to determine where in the brain the attacks come from.

The trip will cost about £7,000, raised through an appeal in The Northern Echo and a donation from local radio station 96.6 TFM and its charity, Make A Child Smile.

A spokesman for the station said: "The charity was set up to help local disadvantaged and under-privileged children in Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire as well as children whose needs cannot be provided for by the NHS.

"The money now means Sophia can go to the States and we are delighted."

Arriva bus drivers in Redcar will today stage a sponsored bus pull to raise further funds for Sophia.

The bus will be the first vehicle to go along the newly re-opened Lord Street, which has been closed to allow for the second phase of the Regent Walk shopping development.