Thurnby family thank people who raised hundreds for James, six

The money raised helped James and will support other children with similar conditions

A family has thanked people who donated hundreds of pounds to help their son.

The family of James, six, from Thurnby in Leicestershire, who is blind and has a rare type of epilepsy, had appealed for help to buy him a bubble tube.

His mum Rachel said: "There's very little he can actually play with safely due to his condition."

Following an appeal, fundraisers raised £884 to cover the cost of the tube and to help other children with similar conditions.

Before the tube arrived, there was little James could play with at home

Rachel said: "James contracted meningoencephalitis twice as an infant, which has left him with very complex needs.

"James is such a loving and sociable little boy.

"He loves to play and explore, but there's very little he can actually play with safely due to his condition. At school, James has access to multi-sensory rooms, but it can be very difficult to keep him entertained and stimulated at home."

The £1,000 cost of a bubble tube - a tube that encourages sensory stimulation - was prohibitively expensive, the family said.

However, following the appeal and support from the Children Today Charitable Trust - which covered more than half of the costs - they were able to afford one.

Rachael said: "We can't thank everyone who donated enough for their generosity.

"James absolutely loves his bubble tube.

"He loves the sensation of the vibrations and the changing colours. I think orange seems to be his favourite, as it's bright. The bubble tube is really helping with his development and also helps to calm him down after a bad seizure."

Rachael says James particularly loves the colour orange

Emma Prescott, charity director, said: "It's great to see James getting the sensory stimulation he so desperately needs.

"We're very grateful to all those who donated."

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