A Bradford policeman is going head-to-head with Tony Blair in a bid to save his desperately sick daughter.

PC Dean Maddocks and his wife Carol confronted the Prime Minister during a live debate on the BBC's Question Time last night. They won the promise of a private audience with the Labour leader to discuss their life-and-death plight.

The pair are fighting for Government action to help find a bone marrow donor for their eight-year-old daughter Alice.

She has a rare and life threatening condition called aplastic anaemia - and her only chance of a cure is to find a donor.

On the programme they confronted Mr Blair about the National Blood Service - which runs the British Bone Marrow Registry - saying it needed more investment and did not do enough to contact donors.

Mr Blair agreed to "look into" their daughter's situation and meet the couple to discuss the situation.

And as the Prime Minister left the leisure centre in Milton Keynes, Bucks, PC Maddocks called to him: "We will hold you to that appointment".

Mr Blair turned to the Bradford South-based officer and acknowledged the remark.

After the programme PC Maddocks vowed not to stop until he got "some movement" on the matter.

He said he was happy he secured the meeting and added: "We just want more people to be canvassed as donors."

During the programme, Mrs Maddocks had asked Mr Blair: "Will you make a commitment tonight that you will put some funding into the Bone Marrow Register? Our child is desperately needing a bone marrow transplant.

"She's going to die without that. Will you make that commitment and help to save her life?"

When he said he could only make a general pledge about the NHS, she angrily replied: "No it's not good enough, no Mr Blair."

Mr Blair told her: "I have heard about your individual case, and if you would like me to look into it specifically I'd be very happy."

She replied: "I would. And I would like to spend some time with you, only half an hour."

The youngster was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in July last year. The condition reduces the amount of red and white blood cells in the body and means that she is vulnerable to life-threatening illnesses like pneumonia and could bleed to death if cut.

Doctors have told her parents that a successful bone marrow transplant is the youngster's only hope of recovery.

A trawl of the British Bone Marrow Registry to find a suitable donor proved fruitless, as did an international search.

The couple believe the National Blood Service is not doing enough to attract new donors and they have launched a campaign to highlight awareness.