A SCHOOLGIRL from Bradford on Avon living with cerebral palsy can continue to enjoy her love for cycling after receiving funding for a specialist bike from a children’s’ charity.

Nicole Chorley, 13, who was born at 29 weeks weighing 2lb 2oz and still has difficulty in controlling movements in her arms and legs due to her condition, was given a fully adapted, made-to-measure trike by charity Children Today.

In 2011 the Wiltshire Times launched an appeal to help Nicole’s family set about raising funds for a procedure known as Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery, to improve her muscle stiffness.

In just six months the family managed to raise the £60,000 required,to send Nicole to the USA for the operation as she did not qualify for the procedure in the UK.

She was the first child from Wiltshire to undergo the operation, which meant she was able to walk for the first time. Other local youngsters have also had the surgery since.

Mrs Chorley said: “Nicole was just five years old at the time of the surgery and it was incredible to see such a difference in her after the operation, it meant she could use a walking frame and sit in a ‘normal’ chair.

“The journey didn’t stop there though, Nicole has to keep up an intense physiotherapy routine, which as you can imagine, like any typical teenager she gets fed up with.

“We’re a big family, Nicole is one of six and she has 11 nieces and nephews too.

“The whole family are amazingly supportive, taking Nicole out and making sure she gets to join in with everyone as much as possible.

“We can’t thank Children Today, enough, this is actually the third trike that the charity has funded, because kids grow out of these things so quickly.

“Unfortunately, getting a replacement is prohibitively expensive without a grant but thankfully this trike will last her into adulthood.

“The trike is a great way of helping her maintain her physio without it seeming like a chore.

“Nicole spent the first nine weeks of her life in the NICU and we knew that something wasn’t right from early on.

“We count ourselves lucky though as Nicole is a very vibrant and vocal young lady.

“While she finds her physical disability frustrating, she’s very able mentally and attends mainstream school. Now Nicole is able to get out even more and enjoy her trike.”

“Now Nicole is able to get out even more and enjoy her trike.”