TODDLER Blake Knaggs is enjoying a new sensory room at his York home - thanks to a major fundraising drive sparked by his rare and incurable condition.

The Blake's Genes Appeal, organised by his aunt Joanne Addinall and her best friend Katie Johnson, has raised more than £25,000 over the past eight months.

Events have included a recent family fun day at Haxby, which raised about £3,500, an auction evening and raffle, a pamper evening, a Blue for Blake day, when people at schools and businesses across York wore something blue, and a fun dog show and walk.

About £3,500 has paid for the sensory room at his home in Derwenthorpe, which is full of stimulating colour and light and features delights such as a bubble tower, mirrors and an activity wall, which assists Blake's parents as they encourage him to stand up.

Another £2,000 has been given to Martin House Hospice at Boston Spa, where Blake has stayed, while a further £10,000 has been donated to the Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases to fund research into the condition he suffers from, Mucolipidosis II ML2 (MPS).

His parents Louise and Paul hope the research might prolong Blake’s life but also help other children born with the condition.

But Joanne revealed that the remaining money was to be used to help fund a major seminar in the UK next year, with experts in the illness from around the world invited to attend to pool their knowledge and stimulate fresh research.

"We'd really like to thank everyone who has helped raise the money and make all this possible," she added.