FUNDRAISING for a poorly little girl from Dorset has topped £12,000 thanks to kind-hearted residents and businesses.

Three-year-old Roxy Berry, who has Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy, needs £50,000 for an operation to correct the tightness in her leg muscles, which leaves her unable to walk, sit or stand by herself unaided.

Roxy, from Wareham, wants to be able to ‘jump in muddy puddles’ with her best friend – twin sister Willow.

Her parents, Gina and Colin, think they have found the answer with the operation, named Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR).

Gina and Colin set about raising the funds earlier this year and, now a few months in, they are well on their way to raising their target amount.

Gina said: “We are doing really well, following our Wareham Wednesday events earlier this year.

“Denise and Richard from The Silent Woman pub near us held a murder mystery evening in aid of Roxy, which is nice.

“The Sandford pub, which has just changed owners, has also chosen to support her with a celebratory opening event this month, which all helps. We now have Roxy’s pre-op assessment booked in for February 2015, but we still have a way to go with the fundraising.”

Gina previously spoke of how Roxy has to wear what she calls ‘special legs’ which are splints she uses every day to help correct the position and placement of her feet.

“She needs to have the SDR, which will involve cutting into her spine as it will help straighten and bring her feet back down flat again.

“I believe that the doctors don’t like to do this operation before the child is at least four to give them a chance to see what they can do.

“Some children with Roxy’s condition do learn to stand and walk, but for her, without the operation, it will never happen.”

The Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation was originally founded in the US, but is now being offered at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

However, it is not available for Roxy on the NHS, meaning that her parents and family are reliant on donations to help them to fund their daughter’s life-changing procedure.

For more information, go to justgiving.com/roxyberry