A FAMILY is redoubling fundraising for a six-year-old girl struck down by a muscle-wasting disease after she began to make "fantastic" progress.

After being told that Taylor Rayson would lose the ability to walk by the time she reached her teens, the family has been astounded by her progress at expensive physiotherapy sessions.

And they believe that with further treatment she will be able to continue to use her legs.

Doctors have said the youngster, of Allan Critchlow Way, Rishton, could end up in a wheelchair by the time she is 13, a side effect of her spastic diplegia, a type of cerebral palsy which she was born with.

Her mother, Clare, 25, successfully raised £3,000 for a month's treatment at the Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre (CPPC) in Bedfordshire earlier this year.

Now she is beginning efforts to raise £4,500 to send her daughter for a further three, two-week stints of intensive treatment.

Clare said: "Taylor has come on so much and with enough treatment she will be able to build up her leg muscles.

"This treatment is something that needs to be done again and again to keep working the muscles.

"Her progress has been fantastic."

The work includes massages and wearing a "Thera Suit" which is a modified version of a Russian cosmonaut's space uniform.

The suit incorporates a number of elastic straps which aim to correct posture and increase strength.

Clare added: "We have been told that because of the improvements she has made that she may not need to use a wheelchair as she gets older."

Sally Aspinall, the owner and director of the CPPC, said: "We do not work in miracles and we do not have a magic cure but by targeted intensive physiotherapy improvements can be made.

"Taylor is doing remarkably well and it is important that the therapy continues."

The family are now fundraising to raise the cash they need to ensure Taylor keeps up her remarkable progress.

They already have £800 which was raised from previous attempts and now two days of events are planned at the Rishton Legion Club, in Walmsley Street.

On Friday, August 25, there will be a karaoke night with a raffle and auction.

The following day there will be a table-top sale at the club as well as a children's summer fayre.