ALL little Laura Graham wanted for Christmas was a wheelchair.

And now all her Christmas wishes have come true after a Lancashire Evening Telegraph reader stepped in to put up the cash after reading our story yesterday about Laura's plight.

Kind-hearted businessman John Sturgess, of M & G Plastics in Darwen, stepped in to play Santa Claus, and now Laura has a brand new wheelchair.

Yesterday's Evening Telegraph told of five-year-old Laura's mystery illness which has dumbfounded doctors and left her unable to walk and talk properly.

But the battling youngster, who never complains about her problems, was told it would be three to four months before she could have a wheelchair - leaving her virtually housebound.

A number of readers phoned offering secondhand wheelchairs and M & G Plastics Ltd of Marsh House Lane, Darwen, offered to stump up the cash to pay for a brand new made to measure wheelchair so that little Laura will be able to get out and about this Christmas.

Her dad Peter, of Sunnybank Street, Darwen, said: "We can't thank everyone enough - this is the best Christmas present ever."

Laura and her dad Peter have been stranded since October when Laura was struck down with the mystery illness which left her without co-ordination, and at one stage she couldn't even sit up, eat, or talk. Laura's mum Carol suffers from cerebral palsy so dad Peter has to stay at home to look after Laura as Carol cannot pick her up when she falls.

Laura's condition has improved since she was in hospital so that she is now regaining her speech but she still cannot walk.

And her problems mean that she cannot join her pals at Holy Trinity Primary School and is having to be taught at home.

Peter said: "Getting this wheelchair is the best thing that could have happened to Laura. I haven't been able to take her to see Father Christmas's grotto in Blackburn - that is the first thing we are going to do now.

"Laura has been really missing all her schoolfriends so I'll take her out to visit them. This has made the world of difference."

John Sturgess of M & G Plastics said: ""We are a Darwen company and feel pleased to be able to put something back into the community, especially in such a deserving case."

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