A BRIGHT four-year-old boy needs a little more help from his friends to make sure he gets a new wheelchair.

Jonty Smith, of Pershore, needs a new wheelchair to satisfy his independent streak. It will allow him to keep up with his school friends, as we have previously reported in your Worcester News.

But the money needed to buy the chair has risen from £7,416 to £8,858 after the last fitting identified Jonty needs a special mechanism on the chair which raises and lowers him, together with a three-year warranty and insurance.

The new price includes a five per cent discount from the firm Countrywide Mo-bility Services in Lowes-moor, Worcester, which is assembling the chair.

Thanks to the efforts of friends, family and well-wishers the appeal actually broke the original total this week and now stands at about £7,600.

Jonty suffers from cerebral palsy, epilepsy and left hemiplegia – meaning the limbs of his left side are severely weakened.

Trudy Burge, fund-raising coordinator, said big-hearted residents had made a huge effort to raise the money and pleaded for one final push in aid of Jonty.

She said: “The company pointed out that unless the elevation aspect was added to the wheelchair, Jonty would be unable to get in and out of the chair unaided and it would restrict his use.

“Everyone was also adamant that if we are spending this much on a chair, it has to be right for Jonty and fully insured.

“Therefore, it was agreed that we would carry on to raise the extra amount.”

The chair has now been ordered and is set to arrive before Christmas.

• A sponsored walk from the Coach and Horses in Pinvin, near Pershore, on Sunday raised £186 for the wheelchair appeal.

Emma Giles and friend Abi Miles walked 10 miles along the lanes in surrounding villages.