Families from the West Midlands who had children taken into care after diagnoses of Munchausen's Syndrome By Proxy demonstrated outside the High Court yesterday. Relatives and friends of the Birmingham mother, who is challenging a family court order to put her daughter into care, joined about 40 other parents from across the UK and Angela Cannings. Penny Mellor, from Wolverhampton, has led national campaigns to prove misdiagnosis of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in certain cases, and runs a support group for parents who claim they were wrongly accused. She said the overall mood of the protest was one of sadness. "It is ironic that a demonstration by mothers alleged to have serious personality disorders was so peaceful," she said. "The mood was one of sadness and anxiety. "Every single one of these parents has lost one or more of their children here, because this is where the final hearing went on. This is where they lost their children. Candles were lit for those children which had died, and whom medical experts had claimed were killed by their parents. One mother, "Sarah Mitchell" - not her real name - said: "I am here to show support for these families and for all the children wrongly removed from their care on the basis of dustbin medical diagnoses. Sarah, aged 39, said she had had four children taken away in 1996 because of flawed medical diagnoses after her children fell ill. Pointing to the Royal Courts behind her, she said: "This is where it all happened. It is a scary place to be. I am back to the beginning where it all ended." Mrs Cannings, who was joining her first protest since her conviction was quashed, said it felt "a bit strange" to be back at the High Court but said she was happy to do anything she could to support the families affected in Munchausen's cases. "We wanted to support and help families as best we can, having been through this experience ourselves," she said. "If we can help the families who are going through these tragedies, then we will do that." "It's a big thing to do but it has to be done - all this has to stop." Mrs Cannings said she would welcome any public inquiry into the situation, "but it has to be brought into the public arena". She added she was keen to speak to Professor Roy Meadow, who first identified Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy. "I would like to ask him why he took me and my family through four years of hurt. Why did he not meet us and discuss the issues with us? | 
