A FUNDRAISING appeal for a cerebral palsy sufferer aged two, from Barnoldswick, touched the heart of Pendle's Mayor, Councillor Mohammad Iqbal, so much he decided to arrange his own charity event.

Coun Iqbal will host a social get-together next week to raise funds for toddler Elle-Mai Laithwaite, of Greenbank and her parents hope it will be the final boost they need to reach their target of £5,000.

Elle-Mai's parents, Kathryn Whittle and Ian Laithwaite, are hoping their daughter can prove doctors wrong and learn to walk and talk by attending the Chance Institute in Cardiff.

The centre caters for children who suffer from cerebral palsy by using ground-breaking techniques to help sufferers progress and even help them to walk and talk. Coun Iqbal hosts the charity get-together, which will include a meal at Barnoldswick Civic Hall, at 7pm on Friday, June 13.

He said: "I hope that the event will raise a sizeable amount of money. Elle-Mai needs this treatment and I hope that local people will come along, enjoy the food and company, all for a good cause."

Kathryn said: "It is so lovely of him to arrange this dinner and I can't thank him enough. Hopefully, it will be a good night out and everyone will enjoy themselves. There are 100 tickets so, hopefully, that will be another £1,000.

"We are hoping to go to the institute from July 7 to August 10, but if we get more money she can stop longer."

Tickets for the Mayor's dinner are priced £10, including a meal, and are available from the Mayor on 07974 412218 or Elle-Mai's mum Kathryn Whittle on 07985 363179.