A CAMPAIGN that could save children's lives across Europe has been praised in the House of Commons.

MPs across the country will be asked to lend their support to The Northern Echo's Protect Our Children campaign to ensure all children's pyjamas are flame resistant.

The campaign was launched after a toddler from North Yorkshire suffered terrible burns when his pyjamas caught alight.

Daniel Mitchard-Harrison, two, endured six weeks in hospital and will be scarred for life.

After the accident, Daniel's family set fire to another pair of pyjama shorts and discovered that they burned to nothing in little more than 60 seconds.

They were so horrified that they took the brave decision to tell Daniel's story to raise awareness for the campaign.

Because of a historic quirk in the law, pyjamas do not have to be flame resistant, but dressing gowns and girls' nightdresses do.

Last week, Phil Willis, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and chairman of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee, tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling on the Government to close the loophole.

He also urged "all responsible retailers to remove immediately stocks of non-flame- resistant pyjamas from their stores".

Mr Willis said he had acted when several of his constituents contacted him after hearing Daniel's story.

Mr Willis immediately gained support from Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead and a former firefighter, and Bob Russell, MP for Colchester, who signed the EDM.

An EDM is a call from an MP for a debate on an issue.

They are used by MPs to draw attention to a particular issue and to canvass support.

Mr Willis' EDM asks: "That this House applauds The Northern Echo for its Protect Our Children campaign which aims to close a loophole in the law."

It asks the Government "as a matter of urgency to take appropriate steps to close the loophole in the law by making it illegal to import, manufacture or sell pyjamas that are not flame-resistant".

Mr Willis said: "I am shocked to learn that girl's nightdresses, dressing gowns and similar garments must be treated to ensure that they are fire retardant - but pyjamas do not need to meet this requirement because they are close fitting.

"I hope by supporting The Northern Echo's campaign and raising this issue in the House, we can build support and gain momentum in order for the loophole to be closed."

So far, more than 1,600 people have signed the Protect Our Children petition, which will be taken to the European Parliament.

Among the names are six MPs and seven MEPs.

Your messages of support

I was a fireman for ten years and I have been to incidents where young people have had their pyjamas melted onto their skin. I know how nasty it is. We did this 40 years ago for nightdresses. This is something that could be sorted out tomorrow

Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead

I have two children who wear pyjamas most of the time. The thought of them catching fire horrifies me

Sharon Scott, Chester-le-Street

I feel strongly that this is a sensible measure and should have been done a long time ago, given that most house fires occur at night

Genine Lodge, Catterick Garrison

I always believed that pyjamas were covered by the same regulations as nightdresses

Jo Robinson, Brompton-on-Swale

We need to protect our children, not the retailers' profit margins from selling cheap and dangerous goods. I wish Daniel and his family all the best and hope that we can all, by signing this petition, prevent this from ever happening to another child

Anne-Marie Young, Swindon

Having two young children myself and a wood-burning stove, it horrifies me to think that this could happen to mine. Their skin is so fresh and vulnerable it's awful to think they could be scarred for life. We need to make children's clothes as safe as possible

Michael Pocock, Montpezat de Quercy, France