11-year-old girl with no legs walking marathon in memory of Captain Tom

An 11-year-old double leg amputee is paying tribute to Sir Captain Tom Moore by walking an entire marathon in her garden in his memory.

Maisie Catt, who lost her legs to meningitis and septicemia, walked 26 miles in her garden over the course of ten days last year, inspired by her hero.

The schoolgirl will now repeat the challenge in tribute to Captain Tom, who died with coronavirus on Tuesday after raising more than £32million for NHS charities.

Masie, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, will walk her second marathon to raise money for charity YoungMinds.

She said: “I think Captain Tom was a good, kind man that inspired lots and lots of people including me and he was a real-life hero.

Watch: A nation honours Sir Captain Tom Moore

“When I first saw him walking with his frame, I thought ‘I used to walk with a frame and he was nearly 100’ so he really inspired and motivated me to do something good too.

“I was very sad when I found out he had died I felt I needed to do something good in his memory - it had to be another walk.

“I’m doing it for Young Minds as this week is also Children’s Mental Health Week, I think he’d be happy I chose this.”

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Maisie’s first marathon was in aid of charity LimbPower which helps amputees achieve their sporting potential, and she raised more than £10,000.

The keen swimmer, who also loves taekwondo, added: “I hope it doesn’t snow again or I’ll have to do more on the treadmill and it’s a bit boring on the treadmill it seems to take forever.”

Maisie had her legs amputated as a baby due to her blood being poisoned by septicaemia.

Mum Sharon Hartley said: “When Maisie heard about the passing of Captainr Tom she said it was really sad and that she wanted to do something in his memory.

“I thought it was a good idea but we’re in a lockdown and she’s busy with school, then she said she wanted to do the 26-mile challenge.

“I thought wow, go for it.

“She’s only 11 so you might not think it would be at the forefront of her mind, but obviously it was.

Captain Sir Tom Moore died with coronavirus in Bedford Hospital on Tuesday, aged 100. On Wednesday Boris Johnson led a nationwide round of applause in his honour.

The PM has responded to calls for a memorial for WW2 hero, by promising he will speak to the family to find out what they think is ‘appropriate’.

“I know that that’s the kind of thing that people would want to support and we’ll be working with his family to see what they feel is most appropriate and be taking that forward,” he told a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday.

Sir Tom’s daughters, Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira said the last year of their father's life had been "nothing short of remarkable".

He was knighted by the Queen in July in a special ceremony at Windsor Castle and received an England cricket cap on his 100th birthday.

Donate to Masie's cause at https://www.justgiving.com/Maisie-Catt.

Watch: Queen leads tributes to Captain Tom