KIND-HEARTED Burnley folk are aiming to raise thousands of pounds to send a little handicapped boy to the USA for a course of treatment known as dolphin therapy.

Six-year-old Liam Kowalski, who has cerebral palsy, has already made one brief trip to the specialist centre in the Florida Keys where children who respond to treatment are rewarded by being allowed to play with dolphins.

Now two Burnley pubs are aiming to raise the £2,000 it will cost to send Liam back to the sunshine state for a course of intensive treatment.

The Wheatsheaf and the Derby Arms, both on Colne Road, are holding special events, and the next one is on Bank Holiday Monday (May 27), when there will be a disco, quiz, pool and darts competitions, entertainment and karaoke contest.

Barbara Robinson, the new manager at the Derby, told the Citizen: "The Wheatsheaf have been doing a lot to raise money for Liam and people round here are always talking about how they would like to help him and his family, so we decided to follow suit."

Liam is the son of Paul and Joanne Kowalski, of Gainsborough Avenue, Burnley, and has a 20-month-old brother, Brandon. Joanne is expecting a third child in September.

She told the Citizen: "People have been doing an awful lot for Liam. He went for treatment at the Peto Institute in London, and last year we went to Florida to look at the dolphins.

"We had a guided tour of the centre and Liam stroked the dolphins. He thought it was really good. If we were to go back it would be for a proper intensive course."

Money raised could also pay for special eye equipment for Liam, who is partially sighted.

Liam is pictured with nursery nurse Michelle Brereton.

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