GALLERY: Charity champ Finlay is a star at Accrington Christmas lights switch-on (From Lancashire Telegraph)

GALLERY: Charity champ Finlay is a star at Accrington Christmas lights switch-on

4:39pm Monday 26th November 2012 in Hyndburn

A COURAGEOUS youngster, who is on his way to raising £20,000 for charity, turned on Accrington’s Christmas lights.

Three-year-old Finley Rosbotham was born with such severe cerebral palsy that his parents were told he would never even crawl or use his voice.

But with the help of Accrington’s Holly House, he is now walking and talking, and is raising cash for the cause to say thank-you.

Hyndburn Council leader Miles Parkinson said they were so impressed with his fundraising that they decided to give him the honour of switching on the lights on Saturday.

He said: “It was a very enjoyable evening.

“Large crowds turned out, the wet weather did not down beat the festive feeling.

“The fireworks display went down exceedingly well and it was great to see Finley switching on the lights.

“It really makes the Christmas message relevant, that we should all think of one another.”