A cash-strapped children's charity has received a double boost, thanks to a cabbie and a former Tiller girl.

A cash-strapped children's charity has received a double boost, thanks to a cabbie and a former Tiller girl.

East Anglia's Children's Hospices (Each), which cares for critically ill youngsters, is set for some much- needed extra advertising and funding following two unusual offers.

The organisation, which has hospices in Quidenham, near Diss, Ipswich, and Milton, in Cambridgeshire, has been campaigning for months to meet a £650,000 budget shortfall.

The charity unveiled a new free advertising space yesterday after Norwich taxi driver Steven Tuttle donated the sides of his cab.

Mr Tuttle decided to help after hearing about Each's cutbacks and financial problems.

"Big firms often pay to advertise on cabs, so I thought Each might appreciate the chance to have some for free," he said.

It costs about £4.7m a year to run the no charge hospices for life-limited children and their families, with only 10pc coming through government sources.

Melanie Chew, fundraising manager, said she was "delighted" with the "unusual" offer and hoped it would inspire others to find their own ways of supporting children's hospices.

She also praised the efforts of former dancer and nurse Tilly Sheridan-Melville, who will be taking part in a sponsored head shave this week.

The 73-year-old, who has been involved for several years in raising funds through Each's Friends group in Norwich, said: "I'm not in the best condition with a bit of a dickey heart, so running or cycling is out of the question.

"I swim like a brick and could clear a room in seconds with my singing, but with a head shave I can sit down quietly and take it easy."

She hopes to raise more than £500 from the event, which takes place at 1pm on Thursday at the Forum in Norwich.

For more information or to support East Anglia's Children's Hospices, call 01953 715559 or visit www.each.org.uk