Six-year-old with cerebral palsy braves wet weather to complete family fundraising in Sherdley Park

completed the last mile of her family's fundraiser on her walking frame, as the family raised more than £1600 for the Neurosurgery Department at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

Despite the wet and windy weather, Fearne Disbury, from Sutton, completed the end of her family's fundraiser on her walking frame to round off the 800 mile walking challenge set up by her siblings and cousins.

Fearne with her family in Sherdley Park on Sunday, October 31

To celebrate World Cerebral Palsy Day on October 6, Fearne's sisters and cousins - Poppy, Molly, Sam, Alice, Ben, Lucy and Alfie - pledged to collectively walk 600 miles throughout October to mark Fearne's sixth birthday and raise money for the hospital that has cared for her.

However, tracking their mileage though their individual fitbit watches, the family smashed this target a week early as they clocked up steps walking to and from school, playing sports and going out for long walks.

Increasing the target by an extra 200 miles, Fearne completed the final mile of the collective journey in Sherdley Park yesterday, October 31.

Fearne's mum, Emma, said: "Despite the bad weather, Fearne was determined to do her walk. She was so excited to see everyone when we turned up at the park and loved all the encouragement from her friends and family.

"She smiled the whole way round through the wind and rain, and we were just bursting with pride at how well she had done. We were crying happy tears as everyone cheered her at the finish."

Braving the bad weather on her walking frame, Fearne's achievement is all the more impressive as cerebral palsy means she struggles with walking and mostly gets by on her tip toes or by a wheelchair.

In an effort to change this, the six-year-old will undergo life-changing neurosurgery at Alder Hey next year in order to improve her mobility and finally allow her to walk with her feet flat on the floor.

With the hospital caring for Fearne throughout her life, and the operation coming in at a huge cost of £30,000 for the neurological department, her family wanted to fundraise for the hospital to show their deep gratitude for their care of Fearne.

Fearne with her family in Sherdley Park

In total, the youngsters - aged between four and twelve - collectively walked more than 800 miles and raised £1635.

Emma added: "We hope that everyone at Alder Hey appreciates all Fearne's fundraising efforts and can make good use of the money she's raised.

"I'm sure [the family] will carry on [fundraising] in the future as they love being able to help others."