Hundreds of children with missing limbs are to benefit from more Government funding for sport prosthetics such as running blades. 

The £1.5million investment from the Department of Health and Social Care follows a similar funding pot in 2016 that allowed 220 disabled children to be fitted with prosthetics to take part in sport and physical activity. 

Care minister Caroline Dinenage commented: "Hundreds have already benefited from the fund and this additional investment will now help us to open up even more possibilities for children with limb loss, and hopefully ignite in them a lifelong passion for sport." 

The charity Panathlon, who provide competitive sporting opportunities to over 13,000 disabled young people every year, has backed the new funding. CEO Ashley Iceton told ConnectSport: "As many of our young competitors know, these prosthetics can change lives and open up opportunities to engage in sport that they would otherwise be denied."

Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead commented: "A child taking just one or two steps using these prosthetics can make the world of difference and open their eyes to what they can achieve." 

Kiera Roche, chief executive of LimbPower, a charity which encourages people with limb impairments to get involved in physical activity, added: "Children just want to be able to join in and feel included, especially at school and in the community, and this means playing and taking part in PE and games. 

"The overriding messages we have received from children and parents is that they can be included, join in, run and jump just like their friends; they can be children and not patients." 

(Pics: Panathlon competitors Malik and Lina Berbiche, who lost limbs in a bus crash in 2007)