A BRAVE little boy with a debilitating neuromuscular disease could see his dream of playing football come true if enough money is raised to pay for a life-changing operation.

Robin Carter was born eight weeks prematurely and was diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a form of Cerebral Palsy, when he was two.

As a result of the condition, the five-year-old, of Earby, has difficulty walking.

Family and friends of the youngster have launched a campaign to raise £45,000 to pay for ground-breaking surgery in America. Natalie, Robin’s mum, said she launched the fund-raising campaign after NHS East Lancashire told her the surgery could not be performed locally.

She said: “He wont be able to go to the same school as his friends and as he gets older he will be more and more reliant on his wheelchair.

“There are too many steps at West Craven High school, so he wont be able to go to the same school as his brother and sister.”

Robin attends Roughlee Primary School where he has a helper in the afternoons.

Natalie said: “The hope is to get him as mobile as we can so that he wont rely on his walking frame to be able to get around.”

A painting party will take place at furniture shop, a whiteroom, in Albert Road, Colne, today to raise money for the campaign.

A walk will take place in Towneley Park, Burnley, on Sunday November 7 at 1.30pm.