DISABLED York children are on their way to enjoying a holiday of a lifetime - thanks to generous Evening Press readers and a nine-year-old boy.

In February, we reported how nurse Theresa Etheridge, of Clifton, was struggling to raise £4,000 to take disabled children to Lourdes, in France.

Despite fundraising for several months, Theresa, who runs the York branch of the Children's Pilgrimage Trust (CPT), had only managed to secure £150 and feared she would have to cancel the trip.

But she was "overwhelmed" by the response from readers to her plea.

All six children will now board the ferry for the week-long trip on Easter Sunday.

"The children are so excited about the trip. It will mean so much to them," said Theresa. "This has really restored my faith in human kindness."

Among the donations was £2,400 from nine-year-old Mikey Davitt, of Huntington, who has hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy.

Mikey's parents, Michael and Sharron, set up a trust fund for him after being told he would never be able to talk, walk or see properly.

But Mikey defied the odds by learning to talk, and began weekly visits to mainstream school.

Mr Davitt, 45, said: "He has never wanted for anything and we thought there would be no better way to use the money than to help these children."

Mikey will join five other children on the trip, who are aged between eight and 15 and suffer from various disabilities.

Updated: 10:31 Monday, March 29, 2004