POPULAR TV presenter and author Alan Titchmarsh is lending his name to personally endorse children's charity CHICKS with their Make a Memory, Fly a Kite Campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage as many people as possible across the UK to buy and fly a CHICKS (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids) kite to highlight the plight of disadvantaged children living in the UK.

West Devon-based CHICKS is a registered charity which provides free respite breaks to approximately 800 disadvantaged children a year from all across the UK.

Alan Titchmarsh said: 'As a long-standing patron of CHICKS I'm delighted to support their Make a Memory, Fly a Kite campaign to help disadvantaged children in the UK have a free respite break this year.

'Buy and fly a kite from CHICKS and have a great day out with your family and friends in support of a worthwhile cause I fully endorse.'

Last year, the children who visited CHICKS came from three main areas.

Just under half were from families with low incomes or who live below the poverty line; 34% had suffered from neglect and the remaining 20% were themselves carers which means they have to look after someone else in their household, such as someone disabled or ill.

Roy Endacott, CHICKS' chief executive, said: 'Our Make a Memory, Fly a Kite campaign is a unique and simple way for you to help the UK's disadvantaged children.

'We want to encourage as many people as possible to buy and fly our kites in the name of the less fortunate children in this country.'

Kites are available to purchase at £5.99 each directly from CHICKS or from Mountain Warehouse stores in Plymouth.

For more information call 01822 811020.