HE won’t know for another two years whether a £60,000 operation in the US has been a success but three-year-old Harry Kirkman is making great progress and preparing to return home to the UK next week.

The Melksham toddler, who has cerebral palsy, flew out to Missouri last month for selective dorsal rhizotomy treatment (SDR) which aims to reduce the spasticity in his legs.

The operation was funded through generous donations made by the public after Harry’s mum Charlotte Deegan launched a mammoth fundraiser last October in the hope of giving her youngest son a chance to walk unaided.

“This trip has been magical and everyone has made us feel so welcome,” the 27-year-old said.

“It has been such a great experience for the whole family. We know this wouldn’t have happened without our supporters at home and we can’t thank them enough for giving Harry this amazing chance in life.”

After spending five days at the St Louis Children’s Hospital following the operation, Harry has had daily physio sessions where he has been practising walking using a bar.

In between trips to the hospital, Harry, his dad Matt and his oldest brother Callum have also enjoyed family time together, visiting parks, farms and amusement arcades.

The family will have to wait two years to find out whether the SDR treatment, which is not available on the NHS, will enable Harry to walk independently.

But Miss Deegan believes the trip has given her son the best chance of conquering that challenge.

She added: “The heat out here can be a bit much for Harry but I think that goes for all of us.

“He is very nearly back to doing everything he could before the operation and it is only two weeks since he had it done. They normally say it takes up to six weeks so he is doing really well.

“He seems to have so much more balance now and he just needs to build his leg muscles up a bit.

“The therapists are even saying he is doing really well. Harry being Harry is just going for it – we have to keep telling him to slow down.”

Miss Deegan said family and friends are planning a hero’s welcome for Harry when he returns to Melksham next week.