ELSIE West may only be four years old, but she is already going to great lengths to help others.

The youngster often talks about children in poorer countries who have “dirty water and no medicine” and how she wants to help.

Now she is taking on a sponsored 25-metre swim to raise money for Comic Relief.

Elsie learned about children needing support in the run up to Red Nose Day in March. She baked some red cakes and sold them to her friends, managing to raise £11.

However, ever since Elsie has contELSIE West may only be four years old, but she is already going to great lengths to help others.

The youngster often talks about children in poorer countries who have “dirty water and no medicine” and how she wants to help.

Now she is taking on a sponsored 25-metre swim to raise money for Comic Relief.

Elsie learned about children needing support in the run up to Red Nose Day in March. She baked some red cakes and sold them to her friends, managing to raise £11.

However, ever since Elsie has continued to bring up the topic with her mum Debbie, 44, of Varndean Road, Brighton.

Ms West said: “She has been showing genuine concern and worry. The children and how they are affected really have stuck in her mind.

“A few weeks ago, the subject came up again and Elsie asked if she could give the Easter money her granddad had given her to the poorly children instead of buying Easter eggs.

“The conversation continued with the outcome being that Elsie said she would ‘swim all the way to the deep end without resting if everyone gives me all of their money’.

“I explained that it wasn’t quite how it happened but she could ask people to make a donation by setting up a fundraising page.

“It has pretty much taken off from there and now she has raised hundreds of pounds.”

Elsie will be doing her swim at the King Alfred leisure centre in Hove on Sunday, where she goes every week.

Ms West said: “She’s looking forward to it. It will be a challenge but she is determined. I’m really proud of her and was really touched when she came up with the idea.

“Obviously Elsie has never witnessed these levels of poverty first hand so I really am quite humbled, given her age, by the way she has connected with the children via television and her determination to help them.”

Elsie said: “I want to help the poorly children to have some money so they can buy fresh water. They need lots of water, don’t they?”

Comic Relief has thanked Elsie for her support.

A spokeswoman said: “We are all hugely grateful to Elsie for her amazing fundraising efforts.

“The money she raises will make a huge difference to people living incredibly tough lives both here in the UK and across the world’s poorest communities, and we wish her the best of luck as she takes on her swim this weekend.”

For more information and to support Elsie, visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/elsieswim