A FANTASTIC fund-raising effort has helped little Alexandra Goodfellow get the specialist equipment she needs to lead a normal life after her family were presented with £7,500. Alexandra, three, was born 14 weeks premature and needs two special wheelchair

A FANTASTIC fund-raising effort has helped little Alexandra Goodfellow get the specialist equipment she needs to lead a normal life after her family were presented with £7,500.

Alexandra, three, was born 14 weeks premature and needs two special wheelchairs costing thousands of pounds.

When villagers in Sutton learnt of her plight members of the village's Conservative Club rallied round and raised £3,750 to help her. And a banger racing event at Mildenhall helped to push the total up to £7,500.

On Saturday the money was presented Alexandra and her parents, Lee and Elly and younger brother, 18-month-old Mackenzie at Sutton Conservative Club.

The donations will help the family from Bellairs, Sutton to buy Alexandra a specially adapted wheelchair next month and a motorised wheelchair in the New Year.

"We are having a wheelchair specially built for her because she is so small," said Lee, "and as she progresses she will need a motorised wheelchair.

"Long term we hope she will be able to walk short distances unaided. She can take very short steps at the moment."

Alexandra weighed just 2lbs when she was born and suffered a bleed in her brain while being cared for at the special care baby unit in Hinchingbrooke Hospital. She spent 10 weeks in hospital and now needs physiotherapy to help her.

"She is full of beans," said Lee. "She is very alert and intelligent - a real little character.