CELEBRATIONS filled Selby Town Hall as an appeal to send a little girl to the United States for life-changing surgery achieved its target.

Willow Emmison-Neal, eight, from Skipwith, near Selby, has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia which affects her from the waist down, and cannot walk unaided.

The Press can reveal that the appeal to raise £60,000 to send Willow to the US for a life changing operation was met at a Valentine’s Dinner on Tuesday thanks to a generous donation from a local group.

Sally Neal, Willow’s mum, said: “It was lovely, really nice. We were at £58,000 before, but Abbey Place Day Nursery arrived with a cheque for £2,000 they raised by doing a number of events over the last few months.

“We feel very relieved, grateful and humbled. It makes you realise what people are capable of and we feel incredibly lucky, we really do.”

Sally also wanted to thank Sarah Garrard, Tom Rocks And The Replicants, SG Petch's Kia garage, and the Ash Duggan Committee, all of whom helped organise and take part in the fundraising events since the appeal was launched last June.

For more information, or to donate to Willow's fund, go to www.willowswish.org.uk