An MP is making a direct appeal to an American publisher to relax its copyright to allow fund-raising for a children’s hospice.

Stuart Andrew, the MP for Horsforth and Aireborough, intervened after ten-year-old Bethany Hare fell foul of copyright laws as she tried to raise money for children’s hospice Martin House.

And as the MP made his plea the public have also rallied round to support Bethany, with donations flooding in from all over the world.

It is understood the Horsforth youngster may even get her own piece of music for the video after a composer offered to write a piece especially for it.

The youngster used money she had earned as an extra in Emmerdale to make a video of herself dressed as Charlie Chaplin and singing Smile.

She loaded the video on the Justgiving website and asked people to contribute to Martin House. But her family were forced to remove the song or face a bill for $2,000 after they were contacted by the publisher Bourne Music.

Now Mr Andrew, who was head of fundraising at Martin House before becoming an MP, is appealing to the publishers to relent.

He said: “It is greedy and mean-spirited of the company to do this. If anything Bethany should be encouraged and rewarded for putting other young people first.”

Martin House head of fundraising Alyson Wort said: “It is wonderful that Bethany is doing this for us. We want to thank everybody who has contributed.”

To make a donation or to watch Bethany’s video visit justgiving.com/smile-bethanyhare.