RISHTON fundraisers have dug deep once more for a young girl they have never met but have taken to their hearts.

Charlotte Speddy, four, was born with multiple birth defects including severe curvature of the spine because she had two ribs missing.

Another three ribs were fused together and two more were only half size giving her lung no room to develop properly.

But thanks to a massive fundraising campaign, including support from residents in Rishton, the youngster is on her way to recovery.

Dot Burns, of Company Street, is the youngster's great aunt and has helped to rally the support of locals to raise funds for vital surgery for the four-year-old from North Wales.

In their latest fundraiser regulars of Rishton Free Gardeners WMC participated in a fancy dress pub crawl which raised almost £300 for the good cause.

Last year the youngster, who lives with her parents, Angela and Stephen, and twin brother Thomas, in Bethesda, travelled to Texas for an eight-hour operation.

The procedure, which can only be performed at the Christus Santa Rosa Medical Campus in San Antonio, included the insertion of two titanium ribs, the straightening of her spine and the rebuilding of her rib cage.

Earlier this year she returned for a second operation to adjust the two ribs.

Dot said: "She will have to travel back to Texas twice a year for the next 10 years to have the ribs altered as she grows. Obviously this is very expensive so it is essential the fund raising continues.

"As a family we would like to thank everyone for their continued generosity which enables the treatment to continue.

"Charlotte is keeping her spirits up and because of the operations is able to walk now on her own so we are really pleased to see that."