Eastenders hunk Shane Richie used his day off from filming to cheer up his biggest fan - little Sadie Stevens the Birmingham schoolgirl who lost a leg after being hit by a police car.
 But the kind-hearted soap star, who plays Alfie Moon, got lost on the way and had to ask two city policeman to jump in his jeep and direct him to the hospital. The secret visit, with his 24-year-old actress girlfriend Christie Goddard, came out of the blue yesterday morning after the Evening Mail had told him about the 11-year-old's plight. Shane, aged 39, cuddled and joked with Sadie, singing along to his track I'm Your Man, before giving her presents of a signed photo of his character Alfie marrying Kat, and one of Alfie's Hugo Boss shirts. He then spent time with other children on the ward making them smile too. Sadie, of Geach Street, Newtown, said: "It was wonderful. I love Shane Richie and I got to kiss him too. "Shane gave me a shirt and said he had washed it especially for me. It was such a surprise. He is my favourite actor in the world and I like him even more now." It comes hours after model Heather Mills, who also had her leg amputated, chatted to Sadie's dad Brian, giving him advice on how the little girl could cope with phantom pains in the right leg she has lost. The wife of Paul McCartney also gave the family her personal phone number and told them to ring her anytime, night or day, if they needed to talk. "I can't thank Shane and Heather enough. They have both been marvellous and done more than expected of them," said unemployed former steelworker Brian, aged 52. "When Sadie saw Shane walk into the ward, her whole face lit up. It was the happiest I have seen her since the accident," added the father-of-six. Shane Richie said he decided to act after hearing how Sadie, a pupil at Holte Secondary School, in Newtown, lost a leg after she was hit by an unmarked police car. He said: "I was really upset to hear about Sadie's accident. I and all the cast and crew at Eastenders send her our best wishes. I hope the gifts will keep her spirits up." Sadie was on a pedestrian crossing on the A34 Birchfield Road yards from her home on February 7 when the accident happened. How you can help: Please send cheques or postal orders only made payable to the Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd. DO NOT SEND CASH. Address your envelope to The Sadie Fund c/o Andy Richards, Head of News, Birmingham Evening Mail, PO Box 78, Weaman Street, Birmingham, B4 6AY. All the money raised will be handed over to Sadie's parents to be used to help their daughter come to terms with the loss of her limb and adapt to a new life. | 
