INSTEAD of indulging in the annual feast, one Malvern girl will have an empty plate on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Kay Bushnell, a sixth former at Dyson Perrins High School, has decided to forego festive excess to complete a 48-hour sponsored famine.

No turkey, chocolate or Christmas pudding will pass her lips during the period when most people will be doing little more than eating, drinking and being merry.

Instead 17-year-old Kay will exist on fruit juice and sweets to keep blood sugar levels up.

"Lots of people think its difficult but after the first seven hours or so you forget," she said. "But the moment you eat something you realise how hungry you are."

Kay is doing the famine to raise funds for World Vision's Orangeapeel campaign, which aims to help children who live in war torn countries.

She first started raising money for the charity at the age of 13: "I saw a picture in a magazine of a starving child with a guinea worm emerging from her foot and decided that I had to do something," she said.

Since doing her first 24-hour famine in 1998, Kay has fasted for the charity a number of times, including an attempt in 2000, when she managed to avoid the temptation of chocolate eggs for two days over Easter.

She also completed a 24-hour fast last Christmas but decided to extend the famine this year after thinking of the plight of hungry kids.

"Twenty four hours does not seem enough when you think of the constant hunger these children suffer so I've decided to do a full two days," she said.

At Christmas dinner, Kay confessed she will not sit at a table laden with festive goodies to watch her family. Last year she said having all the food around made fasting difficult.

Instead her mother, Marilyn, is joining her for the famine on Christmas day.

They plan to make up for the fast on Boxing Day, when Mrs Bushnell will hold a Christmas buffet for all the family.

"The one thing I will miss is chocolate. I still have a stocking with chocolate coins so I'll have to wait until the next day to eat those," she said.

Kay's sponsorship target for this year is £500.

Anyone interested in pledging money should contact Dyson Perrins High School on 01684 564751.