Ageing Hayley singing for charity

Hayley's condition means her body ages eight times faster than normal

A young girl who has a rare and fatal condition which mimics premature aging is helping to record a song which will be released as a single.

Hayley Okines, from Bexhill, in East Sussex, will have the body of an 80-year-old by the time she is 10.

The eight-year-old, who has Progeria, is joining the Kids Choir 2000 in Southend, Essex, on Saturday.

Voices of Tomorrow has been written by songwriter Jane Winiberg to raise money for medical research into Progeria.

Limited funding

Hayley's parents, Mark and Kerry, said their daughter was very excited and had been practising the song and learning the lyrics.

Choirmaster Steve Titford explained that because Progeria was so rare, it attracted very limited funding for medical research.

"All of us involved in the project are committed to helping raise both money and awareness," he said.

There will also be a video to accompany the single, which is due to be released next month.