Walkers raised more than £6,000 to help a young girl find her voice this weekend.

The Walk for Elke, at Mote Park, was attended by 112 people.

The event was held to raise money for five-year-old Elke Wisbey, who was brain damaged at birth and finds it hard to communicate.

Her family, of Yeoman Way, Bearsted, need to raise £17,500 to kit her out with a Smartbox, which will allow her to communicate using her eyes.

Elke's mother Glynnis said at the walk that the total raised in the three weeks since the campaign was launched now stands at about £12,000.

She said: "We are elated. We can really see it happening now.

"I thought it would take forever and it was best to start sooner rather than later but we must already be approaching £12,000 to £13,000."

Among the walkers was Elke's classmate at Maidstone's Five Acre Wood School, Owen West, who has developmental delay and can only walk 100m unaided. He and his family managed one lap, which was about a mile.