Sports stars lend a hand for Kent baby loss charity

Former footballer Sir Geoff Hurst is among the athletes to have lent a hand to the cause

Hand casts of sports stars including Sir Geoff Hurst and Jayne Torvill are up for auction as part of a fundraiser for a baby loss support charity.

The 25 works, created by sculptor Louise Giblin, will also be exhibited at Rochester Cathedral.

Ms Giblin is the vice-president of Kent-based charity Abigail's Footsteps.

She said the auction was a "unique opportunity for [people] to get a sporting momento".

Bids for the works, which also include a cast of Olympic gold medallist and rower Dame Katherine Grainger's hand, started at £200.

The current highest bid on the online auction as of Wednesday afternoon was for a mounted cast of Sir Geoff's hand.

The former footballer is the last surviving member of the 1966 World Cup winning team.

Ms Giblin said hands were "so varied and different"

Ms Giblin said: "Baby loss is not often spoken of, but is far more prevalent than is generally appreciated.

"Many of the famous sportspeople I asked to model readily offered to help because this has touched someone in their lives, and not many people know they can get support."

The artist, who previously cast olympians including Dame Kelly Holmes ahead of the 2012 games in London, said hands were a "very easy" body part to cast.

But she added that they were also particularly interesting because they were "so very varied and different, and you can't hide people's ages".

Lend A Hand for Abigail's Footsteps will exhibit 19 July to 31 August at Rochester Cathedral Crypt, while the auction will close on 14 September.