A LITTLE girl with cerebral palsy jumped for joy this week as a fundraising campaign to help her take her first steps hit £17,000.

Layla Moger was guest of honour at a fundraising fun day held at the Toothill Community Centre and staged by close family and friends.

The resilient youngster, who recently celebrated her fourth birthday had the time of her life on the bouncy castle and trampoline and showed that nothing holds her back.

Layla, who lives in Toothill was born with Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy which affects the movement of her legs and left arm. She was diagnosed at 13 months.

It is hoped that an operation, called a selective dorsal rhizotomy, will allow the resilient toddler to walk unaided.

The operation along with two years of aftercare costs £60,000 with the Moger family so far holding a series of fundraising events to secure the money needed.

Layla has already been assessed and fits the medical criteria for the life-changing operation, but the NHS no longer funds SDR.

Layla’s family, led by parents Kelly Smith and Joe Moger, have launched the Steps For Layla campaign, to raise £60,000 to ensure the resilient toddler will be able to take her own first steps.

“It’s going really well so far, everyone has really come out to support Layla. We’ve had a successful first year so far and now we want to get to £21,000 by November, I know we can do it,” said Layla’s father Joe Moger, 33.

“When it launched in January we couldn’t have believed it would be this successful. Our target for year one was £30,000 and we are on track for that.

There was something for everyone with a paint your own gnome or fairy stall run by Layla’s grandmother Diane Condon, fluffy Paw Patrol characters greeting visitors and live music from local band Overload. They aimed to raise £500 from the day

Layla’s family have hopes of booking Layla in for her life-changing surgery in Bristol this year, as they continue to fundraise the remainder of the money to pay for her aftercare.

Layla’s mother Kelly said the youngster doesn’t let anything hold her back.

“She’s happy as she always is, she’s having the time of her life today. It would be brilliant if we could book her in before the end of this year as the younger she is, the more she will benefit from the surgery.”

Thanks to daily physio and swimming sessions along with time in her specialist K walker with mum Kelly Layla is making good progress

The inspirational Westlea pre-school pupil also loves playing with her dolls, dancing and watching Frozen.

For information search Steps For Layla on Facebook or email stepsforlayla@outlook.com