A RISCA cameraman nearly got thrown out of the White House after taking a photo in support of a little boy back home.

Dai Baker, 39, managed to take a photo on his phone of American president Barack Obama in the Oval Office on Wednesday while holding his own hand up for the Raise Your Hand for Luca campaign.

Mr Baker, who has lived in Washington for eight years, heard how three-year-old Luca Williams, from Newport, lost his legs to meningococcal septicaemia and wanted to help.

The cameraman, who works for Channel4 News, heard about the campaign from his brother, who is a friend of Luca’s parents.

Luca also goes to the same nursery as Mr Baker’s nephew.

Mr Baker was invited to the Oval Office on Wednesday to have his photo taken with the president after winning a number of first places for some of his pictures taken at the White House.

He has previously won the White House Photogra-pher of the Year competition four times.

The ITN cameraman seized the opportunity in the Oval Office on Wednesday and took three or four quick snaps.

Mr Baker said: “You’re not supposed to take your phone in, so they told me off and I nearly got thrown out of the office.”

Mr Baker posted one of the photos on social networking site Twitter.

Other celebrities such as Wales rugby players Ryan Jones and Leigh Halfpenny, F1 drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel and pop star Pixie Lott have all pledged their support posing for pictures with ‘For Luca’ written on their hands.

Luca’s parents, Mo Syed and Sian Williams, launched the ‘Raise Your Hands for Luca’ campaign to raise awareness of the devastating disease.

The campaign also aims to raise £1.5 million to help fund special prosthetics for Luca, to be replaced as he grows up, which are not available through the NHS.

To donate, visit justgiving.com/forluca or text ‘LUCA80 £5 or £10’ to 70070 and for more information visit facebook.com/forluca1 or follow @for_luca

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Powerful message

LITTLE Newport meningitis victim Luca Williams’ worldwide fame continues to grow thanks to the phenomenon of social media.

On Tuesday we reported how a number of celebrities were backing the Raise Your Hand for Luca appeal, which aims to raise £1.5 million for the three-year-old who lost both his legs after contracting meningococcal septicaemia.

The money will be used to buy special prosthetics for Luca that are unavailable on the NHS, and to replace them at regular intervals as he continues to grow.

Today we tell the story of Riscaborn TV cameraman Dai Baker who risked being thrown out of the White House as he took a photograph of his own hand with the words ‘For Luca’ written on it with US President Barack Obama in the background.

We are sure Mr Obama would have given Dai his presidential seal of approval.