Missing out on school and seeing her friends is something Tayler Cronly-Dillon, of Billericay, has become all too used to because her brittle bones break easily.

Tayler, seven, is a pupil at Buttsbury Infants School, Perry Street, Billericay, but has not been at school since November last year because she had full leg casts on both legs.

But this might soon change because Tayler's heartbreaking plight prompted a group of Barclays bank trainees to organise a sponsored parachute jump to raise money to buy a specially adapted tricycle for Tayler.

Lisa Cronly-Dillon and Tayler.

Tayler's year two teacher Sheila Roscoe told her daughter, Karen Roscoe, about her absent pupil and Karen decided to rope her friends from Barclays in to parachuting with her to raise money for Tayler's trike.

Her condition, osteo-genesis imperfecto, means just moving can break Tayler's bones but the £900 tricycle would enable her to get around easily while protecting and strengthening her bones at the same time.

Tayler's mum, Lisa Cronly-Dillon, said: "The last two or three years she hasn't walked because every time she stands up her legs break. She has had 44 fractures."

"She has been in and out of hospital since November. We are trying to get a specially adapted trike to enable the muscles on her legs to strengthen so she can walk again."

While she has been at home Tayler has received home tutoring but returned to school for mornings this week and will go full time after Easter.

Karen Roscoe and her friends will make their jump on Saturday, March 9, and the money they raise will be split between the Brittle Bone Society for Tayler's trike and breast cancer research.

Barclays has agreed to double the amount the group raises.

To make a donation for Tayler's trike call Lisa Cronly-Dillon on 01277 650256.

Published Wednesday, March 6, 2002