A Dereham couple have spoken of their amazement at the generosity of local people who have helped raise money for a new special wheelchair for their daughter.

%image(15003877, type="article-full", alt="Georgia Lyons in her new wheelchair with Mike Lyons and Michael "Squeak" Daws")

Georgia Lyons, 13, was born 13 weeks early and weighed only 1lb 4 ozs and spent her first three years battling for life in and out of hospital.

%image(15003878, type="article-full", alt="Yaz Christian, Georgia Lyons and Zoe Harvey at the fund-raising night. Picture: Michael Lyons")

She was on life support seven times and it left her with cerebral palsy and unable to walk unaided.

Her parents Michael and Sarah, of Toftwood, are determined Georgia will live as full a life as possible and started fund raising to buy the £5290 off road wheelchair.

Sarah ran the Norwich half marathon with friends Vicki Christian and Marc Moore and they then organised a charity night at Toftwood Vilage Hall.

It was brilliantly supported, with dozens of prizes donated, and raised £2053.

The success of the night has allowed the chair to be bought - and Georgia, a pupil at Fred Nicholson School, has been excitedly getting used to it.

'It is amazing!' said Sarah.

They went to Wells at the weekend and the all terrain tyres mean it can go on the beach without sinking as a standard wheelchair would.

Sarah added: 'It gives her so much independence and means we can go to so many places with her. I am completely overwhelmed by people's generosity and can't thank them enough. We are really touched.'

Michael said: 'We like to do everything with her and the chair is so comfortable for her. It is making such a difference to her life.'