Last updated 08:42, Friday, 09 May 2008

Little Alice Tyson was pretty in pink as Carlisle businesses rallied round to make her a princess for the day.

Alice and her mum Julie

Three-year-old Alice, of Moorhouse, has a rare condition which means exposure to sunlight will permanently damage her skin and increase her chances of getting skin cancer.

Affecting one in a million people, Alice’s Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) means she cannot go outside without being completely covered up including wearing a mask over her face.

But after a tremendous response to Alice’s story from business owners in the city, on Wednesday the little girl who is mostly confined to the darkness of the family sitting room was beaming as she and mum Tracey were pampered.

A chauffeur-driven silver Bentley, donated for the day by Stacey’s Coaches of Willowholme, ferried the pair between appointments, with Alice protected by gloves and a face mask.

First stop was Estilo hair salon on Corporation Road where owner Marcie Bowman and her girls set to work beautifying them both with a trim and blow dry.

Marcie said: “It’s fantastic and she’s such a lovely little girl – she’s so special.”

Joanne Alexander, of Little Miss Tiara, on Empire Road, stopped by to deliver a specially made silver plated tiara headband for Alice adorned with Swarovski crystals. She was pleased to take on the special commission: “I jumped at the chance and I thought it was a great idea.”

Alice and Tracey, 43, were also invited to pick out outfits for their special day from Debenhams. Alice chose a pink princess dress with ballet pumps and tights while the store’s personal shopper coaxed mum into wearing a dress for the first time in years.

Tracey said on Wednesday: “I even got married in a trouser suit! But Alice picked her dress herself. She’s been so worked up about today it was gone 11pm before I could get her to bed last night. Then she was up at 6.30 this morning wanting to wear her dress.

“Normally she’s shy with people she doesn’t know, but not today!”

Their chauffeur then whisked them to Hoopers department store for mum to have her make-up done.

The pair were then treated to a photo-shoot at Aperture Photography on Corporation Road, and finished the day with a meal at Adriano’s Italian restaurant in Rickergate, joined by dad Neil, 46, and grandma Edie.

As the sun beamed and temperatures reached 23C Alice needed her protective mask and gloves as she was taken between appointments.

Tracey said: “She gets too warm under the mask – 20 minutes is her limit. All of her exposed skin has to be covered up. And because the windows of the car we’ve got today aren’t protected, I’m making her wear the mask inside that too. Summer is going to be difficult.”

Because of her rare illness, Alice spends a lot of time at the Cumberland Infirmary’s dermatology unit where she was diagnosed with XP around two months ago.

It was senior nurse Julie Bowman who organised Alice’s grand day out after being bowled over by the little girl’s bravery about her condition. Julie said: “To see her smile and have fun is reward enough for us all.”

Alice, who is the only known XP sufferer in Cumbria and one of only 50 nationally, is having more tests next month at a hospital in Dundee where her family will discover exactly what the condition will mean for her in the long-term.