A BRIDPORT boy with a rare chromosome abnormality is now able to do things many take for granted after receiving a special buggy from a children’s charity.

Four-year-old Louis Norris was born with a condition so rare that not one other child in the world is known to have it.

Louis has learning disabilities and doesn’t speak, instead he uses his eyes or whole body to point to what he wants. He also has weak and floppy muscles, with some hyper flexible joints and hip joints which are partially dislocated. As a result, he can pull himself up to stand, but can only take a few supported steps.

Although Louis has a supportive wheelchair, this is too big and heavy to be used for everywhere he and his family want to go, and only just fits in the family’s large car. He was using a standard buggy to go out with mum Dinah, dad Matthew and 12-year-old brother Harry Stewart, but a growth spurt means it is now much too dangerous to use as he exceeds its weight limit and can tip it over.

Thanks to a special buggy provided by Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, Louis and his family can now enjoy popping to the shops, attending appointments and going to the beach.

Louis’ mum Dinah said: “His wheelchair is too big and heavy to go many places in and it doesn’t have any weather protection as they don’t provide this on the NHS – and at £260 it’s too expensive – but without it we can’t use it if it’s raining.

“With the special buggy we have much more freedom and flexibility. It means his grandparents can pick him up from school if I can’t and it’s great for just popping out to the shops or to see a friend. It means we can go to the beach again too as we can carry it across the sand.

“Having this to use instead of the wheelchair means we can do much more together as a family – it’s so easy to transport.”

The charity guarantees that 100 per cent of the money fundraised or donated for Louis will go towards his powered wheelchair and any extra funds will help pay for equipment for another disabled or terminally ill children in Dorset.

Newlife has provided 114 children in the Dorset area with £138,295 worth of disability equipment, but more help is still needed with three families in the county still waiting for £1,050 of equipment. In response to this growing need, Newlife has established the dedicated Newlife Dorset Fund.

For more information, visit newlifecharity.co.uk/dorset