THE family of a two-year-old girl born prematurely are trying to raise money to build her a sensory room.

Esmae Barratt was born 12 weeks premature, and in her first five days caught meningitis, septicaemia, E-coli and developed chronic lung disease.

Lora, Esmae's mother, said: "We very nearly lost her, but being the little fighter she is, she managed to beat the meningitis and E-coli and septicaemia. But they left their mark.

"The meningitis left a cyst on her brain that will be there for life, which has caused her to have cerebral palsy. She had to have four blood transfusions and an operation on her eyes."

Esmae turned two in March, but cannot stand, sit up or roll over as most children child her age should be doing. She undergoes physiotherapy every week, sees a speech and language therapist, and requires special equipment and drugs.

Lora, 21, her fiancé Josh, 23, are now Esmae's full-time carers and parents to new arrival, five-month-old Riley.

She said: "Some days are harder then others, especially now we have a newborn. The days Esmae fights her physio are the hardest, because we have a routine everyday that we stick to, and sometimes she won't play ball. I hate to see her all worked up but at the end of the day it's going to benefit her in the long run.

"She absolutely loves her sensory toys but we simply don't have the room in our house to have it all up/out for her hence why we are trying to get a conservatory for her so she can have her very own sensory room."

The couple are also trying to raise £5,000 to build a new sensory room in their Thorpe Willoughby home for Esmae, and have asked for donations to the fund instead of gifts at their wedding, which will take place this weekend (MAY 7).

She said: "Esmae has been in a couple of different sensory rooms, the main one is at her nursery, which they take her in there to calm down when she has a screaming fit. She seems to really enjoy it, and like I said it's great for calming her down.

"Getting a sensory room for Esmae would be beneficial for all the family. Esmae could have her dark den, fibre optic lights, musical toys out all the time, which at the moment isn't possible as we don't have the space. Esmae loves her toys being out and you can see the concentration in her face to try lift her arms to play."

The Red Lion in Hambleton is also holding a fun day for Esmae on May 29, and The Fox in Thorpe Willoughby have said they will donate a months' tips towards the fund.

To donate, go to gofundme.com/vssekdws