A SPONSORED pool tournament has provided the final push to send a young cerebral palsy sufferer for treatment in Hungary.

Around 40 people took part in the event at Riley's American Pool and Snooker Centre in Burnley on Tuesday night.

More than £400 was raised for little Nicki-James Shepherd, who is three at the end of the month.

The money has now taken the grand total to more than £7,000 which is being put towards sending him to the Peto Institute in Hungary, one of the biggest and best centres in the world for the treatment of cerebral palsy.

His family planned to fly out at the end of August but were asked to send his hospital notes to Hungary before they could go. They now hope to make the trip at the end of October.

Mum Kirsty Murray, 22, of Quaker's View, Brierfield, said: "We now have enough money to take Nicki-James to Hungary.

"We have always said that once we raised enough for our son we would keep fundraising for the Lee Sykes National Centre in Liverpool, which looks after children with cerebral palsy.

"It is a charity and they have 60 youngsters with the same problem as Nicki-James, so we want to help give other sufferers the same chances as him.

"The amount of support we have received has been phenomenal and we would like to thank everyone who has helped us."

Penyard Publishing Ltd, Burnley, Image Works, Nelson and Riley's, Burnley, sponsored the pool tournament.

The tot's dad, Nicki Shepherd, fought off tough competition to win it after battling for nearly five hours. He was awarded with a trophy and £80 which he put into the fund.

The next fundraiser on the calendar is a sportsman's dinner which will be held in the James Hargreaves stand at Burnley Football Club on October 23. For information and tickets contact organiser Lionel Snowden on 01254 824044 or Kirsty on 01282 603897.