THE family of a disabled boy have launched a £10,000 fund to send him to Florida to swim with dolphins.

Four-year-old Blackburn boy Luke Hill cannot walk or talk, but his parents, Lisa and Nigel, hope the experience will lead to a breakthrough.

When he was only one month old, Luke suffered a skull fracture which left him brain damaged.

But his mum Lisa hopes that swimming with dolphins might stimulate him enough to start talking as it has for other disabled children.

She said: "Dolphins have got wonderful communication skills that are supposed to relate to children.

"No one seems to know why it works but all we can do is help him to get there. We have to try for him."

Because only the right side of his brain was injured, the left side of his body became extremely weak.

His development has only reached the level of a 15-month-old baby and he still cannot understand speech.

"He gets so frustrated when he can't communicate that he will hit himself on the head," said Lisa. "It's not so bad now because we go through a routine of trying him with more food or drink, amusing him with nursery rhymes and so on until we find which one settles him." As well as their nine-year-old daughter Emma, Lisa and Nigel recently had another baby who will need surgery for a cleft-palate.

"It's like having twins," said their mother. "Emma's wonderful with them but it's hard work because Luke has no sense of danger."

Luke needs lots of stimulation to help him develop and he loves to play with the remote control and with his rabbit or Jack Russell terrier, Penny.

"He's really giddy and mischIevous, he's always play fighting with his dog. He definitely responds to animals."

Lisa's father, Brian Nolan, has set up a registered charity with help from members of St Paul's Working Men's Institute and hopes to raise enough money to send Luke to the Dolphin Teaching Centre in two years. They're kicking off the campaign with a charity night at the club on Montague Street, Blackburn, on June 12 and hope to raise £1,000.

Anyone who can help can contact the institute on 01254 53325.

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