Brain-damaged toddler's family launch £10,000 appeal

Asher has "progressed quite a lot" since falling into the pool in his family's garden last July

The family of a Cinderford toddler who suffered brain damage after falling into a paddling pool are trying to raise £10,000 to pay for extra support.

Asher has "progressed quite a lot" since falling into the pool in his family's garden last July.

But he is still unable to walk, talk or eat independently and his family want to provide additional therapies to help him improve.

They have launched an auction and fundraising page to help with costs.

Speaking to BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Asher's mother Rachael explained that the brain damage has "affected his movement".

The family are hoping to raise £10,000 to pay for extra support for Asher

"That's why he has physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language (support) because he is unable to walk, talk or eat (independently)," she explained.

He will receive 12 weeks of support through the NHS but this is set to end, prompting the family to hold an auction and create a fundraising page to pay for a whole year of therapy.

It will take place twice a week in Herefordshire and will see Asher ride a horse to help his movement before he has physiotherapy, she explained.

"Nobody can say 'this is how it's going to end' but we've got a real little fighter," she said.

Asher's grandfather Chris said that he had "progressed quite a lot" since they found him in the paddling pool last summer.

He was airlifted to Bristol Children's Hospital after Rachael and then paramedics performed CPR on him.

Sadly his brain had been starved of oxygen, leaving him with a hypoxic brain injury that has affected the movement part of the brain.

He also suffers from severe dystonia - a neurological condition which causes involuntary muscle spasms and contractions.

The auction will take place at The Severn Bore in Gloucester on Saturday evening.