A WORCESTER couple whose young son died after being born with half a heart will front a Christmas appeal for a children’s charity.

Dave and Beverley Rachel, of Warndon Villages, lost three-month-old Theo in February, when he died at A&E at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.

Theo had a condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which prevented the left-hand side of his heart from developing properly.

Now, the couple have been chosen as one of 12 families to be the faces of a charity appeal by Ronald McDonald House.

The charity provides free accommodation to families who have children in hospital, with the current appeal focusing on a 53-bed property in Southampton.

Mr and Mrs Rachel have been stalwart fund-raisers for the group through the Theo’s Friends initiative, having stayed at Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham for 10 weeks while Theo was in hospital in the city.

Mr Rachel recently raised £2,400 for the charity after completing a fund-raising trek in the Sahara desert.

Ronald McDonald asked fund-raisers to send in festive photos to feature in the appeal, with the Rachel family submitting one of Dave, Beverley, Theo and his older sister, Amie.

The current appeal will provide free ‘home away from home’ accommodation to families who have children receiving treatment at Southampton General Hospital and Princess Anne Hospital.

The charity runs 14 such venue to help parents in need.

To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities, visit rmhc.org.uk.