A FRESH appeal has been broadcast to give a young Eastburn boy the operation he desperately needs to enable him to walk.

The family of four-year-old Ajay Ramos – who lived in the Broomhill area of Keighley until recently moving to Eastburn – have to raise at least £40,000 to fund highly specialist surgery.

Ajay was born at Airedale Hospital nine weeks premature, weighing just three pounds.

He cannot stand or walk independently and has to get around by crawling, using a walking frame or in a pushchair.

When he was two and a half years old he was diagnosed with spastic diplegia, which is a form of cerebral palsy.

It causes tightness in his legs which makes it difficult for him to put his feet flat, and means he finds it painful to get around.

The operation and ongoing therapy he needs would be provided at Leeds Children's Hospital.

This operation is called selective dorsal rhizotomy, (SDR) and it should permanently remove the tightness in Ajay's legs. But this procedure is not available on the NHS.

Ajay's mother, Tania Ramos, said: "Things have been on hold for a while because the Botox injections Ajay was having in his legs were making him feel very weak.

"But about three weeks ago he was given a lumbar puncture and had Baclofen medicine put into his back. Because he responded so well to that we've been told he's definitely physically able to have the SDR operation.

"I felt over the moon when we were told. I was so happy I was crying. It means he's still got the chance of a lifetime to be able to walk.

"But now comes the hardest part, which is raising enough money. It's not easy."

Miss Ramos said she had distributed collection boxes, and that fundraising events are planned over the coming months to generate the necessary cash.

This money will go towards the charity Just4Children, which will fund the medical procedure.

People wishing to support the appeal for Ajay can visit just4children.org/children-helped2017/ajays-wish-to-walk/ to make a donation.

Miss Ramos, who has three other older children, said: "Ajay does get stressed sometimes at not being able to walk, but he's a good lad and he just gets on with things.

"I know other people who've had this this operation are now walking."