Former Busted star Matt Willis and charity Save the Children are calling for world leaders' help in a new campaign which aims to put a stop to the deaths of 4.5 million children in Africa every year.

Matt said: "I am making my mark and supporting Save the Children's campaign because I just can't believe that we still live in a world where 9.2 million children die every year before their fifth birthday - many on their first day of life.

"The world knows how to save these lives - preventing these deaths is affordable and possible, if dramatic changes are made now.

"Save the Children is determined to make these changes happen. If they can get governments across the world to do the same, they will save millions of children's lives across the world. Becoming a new Dad myself, I'm all for that!"

Make Your Mark, kicks off today in eight countries in Africa and across the UK and is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other world leaders to offer their support in the form of a thumbprint.

The campaign is inspired by voting in some African countries, where people who can't write are allowed to vote by putting their thumbprint on the ballot paper.

MPs are being asked to use their Westminster lunch break today to add their marks to the expected quarter of a million people who will stamp their thumbprints on the petition.

Save the Children will take the thumbprint petition to European leaders, including Mr Brown, who are due to meet in Italy next month for the annual G8 meeting, to ask them to help stop child deaths in Africa.

Today, in Africa, 4.5 million children die before their fifth birthday each year from illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria, that could easily be cured or prevented. Matt and Save the Children say this is outrageous and we must help African children to change this.

Mass marches are taking place today in countries including Sierra Leone and Nigeria, national radio phone-ins are being held on the health of children in Liberia, and about 100 schools are learning about the campaign in South Africa.

To join the campaign go to www.savethechildren.org.uk/makeyourmark or call 020 012 6400.