A FUNDRAISING campaign has been launched to help pay for a youngster to have reconstructive surgery.

Tommy Leech, who was born without outer ears or canals, has already undergone surgery to attach a bone-anchored hearing aid - but his active sports life meant the aid needed to be replaced last year.

The inner part of the nine-year-old's ears are perfectly formed and now his mother is attempting to raise £50,000 so a German specialist can create a permanent pair of ears.

His hearing is best described as 'trying to listen to a conversation whilst under water'.

His mother, Lisa, has even gone as far as putting the family home up for sale to help fund the operation.

The 32-year-old said: "We are going for our first consultation at the Prosper Hospital in Recklinghausen on Monday.

"A professor there is meant to be a real wizard and has performed the operation several times and he will be opening he ear canals as well."

The youngster will need to undergo six operations over three years if the target is reached.

Mrs Leech, of Whithorn Grove, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, has called on TFM's charity Make A Child Smile to help raise the cash.

The widower, whose soldier 25-year-old husband Carl was killed in a car crash in 1999, said: "We don't need the space for just the two of us and I'd rather have the money in the bank to help pay for the operations."

To get the ball rolling, four of her colleagues at Barclays in Stockton, spent 24 hours behind bars at Billingham Police Station.

At the weekend, Middlesbrough Futsal will be celebrating its first birthday by organising its biggest ever match.

Dawn Carney, charity manager with Make A Child Smile, said: "We have set up a special web page so that the community can keep track of the campaign and view updated videos and fundraising totals."

Spectators are invited to see Middlesbrough v Ipswich Wolves at Teesside University on February 23 at 7pm. The Under-16s will be kicking off at 5pm with a host of fundraising events organised for the event.

Tickets are free available by emailing birthday@borofustsal.co.uk For more information or to donate see www.makeachildsmile.co.uk/tommy-leechfund