A five-year-old boy who has cerebral palsy has learned to walk after a life-changing operation and months of physiotherapy.

The part of Joey’s brain that controlled muscle tone and movement was damaged, meaning he couldn’t sit, stand or walk.

He underwent a surgical procedure, which destroyed the problematic nerve roots in his spinal cord that were sending abnormal messages to his leg muscles.

Joey didn’t meet the criteria to have the procedure on the NHS so his local community in Loughborough, Leicestershire, raised £50,000 to make it possible.

His mum Gemma said she had always dreamed of the moment he would walk.

“For us it’s just been about giving him the best chance so we can look back and say ‘we did everything we could’,” she said.

Video journalists: Emily Anderson and Chris Waring

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