A FUNDRAISING effort has started on behalf of a baby girl who died after spending all her life in a damp and overcrowded flat.

Eleven-month-old Telan Carlton died suddenly after being taken ill at her family’s one-bedroom flat in Chapelfields, York, last October.

Her mum, Kia Stone has recently been given a new home by City of York Council in Clifton to share with her son, Taran.

She – and a group of friends and well-wishers – are now working to raise money for a personalised headstone for her daughter’s grave at Fulford Cemetery, which currently only has a name plaque.

A group of more than 30 people have so far signed up to take part in a “jailbreak challenge”, which will see teams of five take part in a 15-mile sponsored orienteering walk in the Dales.

It is hoped the efforts will fund a headstone for Telan as well as raising money for FSID, the cot death charity.

Kia said: “Telan deserves a special unique headstone after everything. It’s her own place and somewhere I can go where I feel I can be close to her rather than looking at the flowers.

“I am amazed at the amount of people that have come forward and would like to thank Adrian Rennie who has helped to coordinate everything.”

She said her and her family hoped a personalised headstone inscribed with a poem she has written and decorated with the Beatrix Potter characters Telan loved would be a fitting memorial for her daughter.

Another of Kia’s friends has also been selling raffle tickets at a hairdressers in Osbaldwick and Kia said they are looking into other fundraising possibilities.

While it has not been determined what caused Telan’s death, Kia believes their damp, crowded flat – which was home to four and had significant amounts of mould growing in the bedroom – could have been a factor.

City of York Council said it advised the family on how to reduce condensation. It accepts that part of the problem was there were four people and a dog living in a one-bedroom flat, which had been allocated only to Kia and one child.

The council has said there is no evidence to suggest that the damp and conditions in the property were an influencing factor in Telan’s death.

It admits there is a massive housing shortage in York with thousands on the waiting list.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned into Telan’s death and histology and toxicology test results are pending.

If you would like to take part in the challenge, or to donate or raise money for the cause or FSID, phone Kia on 07415 608808.