A DISABLED teenager who undertook a mammoth fundraising drive for a new wheelchair got her new wheels in time for her 18th birthday.

Hollie Byrnes, of Holgate, York, suffers from a genetic condition called arthrogryposos, which means her joints were curved at birth in several parts of her body. The condition has confined her to a wheelchair, making simple everyday tasks like closing her own bedroom door impossible.

Before Christmas The Press reported on Hollie’s bid to raise £8,000 in only a month to help her buy a new all-terrain chair and her plight caught the imagination of our readers.

In total her campaign raised just short of £17,000 allowing Hollie to get the wheelchair of her dreams which was delivered in time for her 18th birthday and made her wish come true.

Her mum, Sandra Franks, said: “She absolutely loves it, she’s been bombing around the place and has been able to go places she’s never been before in her life.

“The other day we went to the woods and she was so excited, it was just amazing. If people could just see her face and hear her squeals of excitement -she’s experiencing things now at 18 that children usually do when they are much younger, but, because of her chair she couldn’t do before.”

York College student Hollie needs round-the-clock care and her labrador assistance dog, Hilton, helps her with a range of everyday tasks that previously would have been down to her mum. The new wheelchair means Hollie can exercise Hilton herself for the first time and prepare for their Flyball dog agility competitions.

Sandra said: “I would like to thank everyone who helped raise the money and made this possible, but would like to give a special mention to the Monster Flyball Team who started the ball rolling.”

Recently Hollie was also nominated in the Spirit of Youth category of our Community Pride Awards. It is the ninth year in which The Press has run the awards, in partnership with City of York Council, to celebrate the bravery and caring of York residents.