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A Christmas charity single, featuring vocals from two Peterborough schoolgirls inspired by their terminally ill cousin, will go on sale on December 2.

St. Augustine's pupils Abia Kisbee-Brown and Darcy Gilbert, both 10, from Woodston, are joining families on ‘This One’s For The Children’ – a cover of a New Kids On The Block song.

It’s being released to help raise awareness of a largely unknown terminal neurodegenerative condition called Batten disease.

Ten-year-olds Abia Kisbee-Brown (L) and Darcy Gilbert are lending their voices to potential Christmas Number One, ‘This One’s for the Children’.

Batten’s is extremely rare, affecting fewer than 200 children and young people in the UK.

Children are born healthy but their health deteriorates significantly over time.

Abia’s mum, Wanda Kisbee, told this newspaper how her family has been affected by Batten’s.“My daughter is doing this for her cousin (Ava Hartigan),” she explained. “They have grown up together, going on holidays together and are only one year apart.

“Only one year ago Ava was a normal 10-year-old. She now can’t walk, talk and has had to have a feeding tube fitted.

It's hoped the festive single, 'This One's For The Children', will help raise awareness of Batten disease, a rare terminal condition which 11-year-old Ava Hartigan has been diagnosed with.

“She has seizures all the time and will go blind. She will also develop dementia.“She will probably die in the next 2-3 years, if she is lucky to last that long.”

Batten Community Children’s Choir is made up of children affected by the disease, their siblings and other family members.

The single, which has been listed by the official charts as a contender for the Christmas number one, is out now on all digital platforms.

All profits from the single will fund the continuing work of the Batten Disease Family Association (BDFA).

The single is being released by Newcastle record label owner and long standing supporter of the BDFA, David McGovern.

“This is a really important single,” he said, “and the children from the Batten Community need to be heard.”

Wanda added: “Batten’s disease is something people don’t hear of, so we are wanting to raise as much awareness around the disease as possible. We need to get it out there.

“It’s also something that, when Ava has gone, my daughter will be able to look back and say she [has] done something for her.”READ MORE: How Bretton charity Little Miracles is getting in the festive spirit - with appearance from Nick Knowles

Peterborough school children to feature on Christmas charity single for cousin with Batten’s disease