The parents of M9 crash victim Lamara Bell face a £4,500 custody battle of her orphaned daughter.

Andrew and Diane have cared for 10-year-old Alysha since she lost her parents in the tragic M9 crash.

Read more: Mother of M9 crash victim Lamara Bell says the last year has been 'torture' for the family

The couple are seeking to be named as their granddaughter's guardians but have been left shocked by a huge Legal Aid charge for official paperwork.

Andrew, 50, of Falkirk told the Scottish Sun: “We don’t have that kind of money. At the moment we have no legal say in anything. It affects things like making decisions about her medical care or a consent form for a school trip.

“Alysha is a ward of the state unless we pay £4,500 to sort the paperwork.”

Lamara and Alysha's father John Yuill both died when their car crashed and cops took three days to find them because a 101 call was not logged last year. 

Her father Andrew said the fees should be covered by the state but the Government said the fees were a matter for the Scottish Legal Aid Board.