A YOUNGSTER with a rare degenerative disorder has seen her dream come true after a fundraising drive to provide a specially-adapted wheelchair reached its £10,000 target in just four months.

Mia Strickland, 10, has Friedreich’s Ataxia, an inherited condition that affects her balance, co-ordination and mobility.

Kirkbymoorside Primary School, where Mia is a pupil, launched a campaign last September to raise the money to buy her an all-terrain wheelchair.

Last week the new wheelchair was delivered enabling Mia to play on the school field with her friends and give her family a chance to enjoy to places that are fast becoming inaccessible.

Mia, who lives with her mum Lisa, dad Paul and brother Liam in Kirkbymoorside, was diagnosed in 2011 with Friedreich’s Ataxia. She also has cardiomyopathy as a result of the ataxia and there is currently no cure.

Gill Hardacre, headteacher at the school, said when Mia had first started at Kirkbymoorside, she was able to run around with her friends, however latterly she had used a manual and electric wheelchair.

"The electric wheelchair was for fairly level, firm surfaces which meant Mia couldn't go on the school field independently,” she said.

“She couldn't access PE lessons or sports activities or even just play on the field without a lot of support and there was a real concern that she is becoming socially isolated from her peers.”

Mrs Hardacre said the all-terrain wheelchair would open the world up for Mia again and allow her to play with her friends in the way she wants to.

"Mia loves the chair, it is her favourite colour - purple. When we asked her what she was going to do first, it 'was race her brother on his bike'," she said.

"She can now go and see her friends who live down the road, take the dog for a walk with her dad and go on the beach."

Mrs Hardacre said there had been an amazing response to the appeal.

"So many people donated money it was unbelievable. We have had some very generous donations from groups like the Lions, Rotary, local churches, The Rob Stephenson Trust and Rievaulx Shoot. The local shops, charities and churches have donated, plus lots of donations from local people who just wanted to help," she said.

Mrs Hardacre said money had also been raised in a vast variety of ways, including a skydive, triathlon, hair and fashion show and a sponsored silence.

She said: "Mia's mum has said that it will make a huge difference as a family as they will be able to do so many things now as a family that other people take for granted.

"As a school we are so grateful to everyone who made this dream possible for this amazing young lady. The whole community have supported this project and we really would like to say thank you to everyone as every donation large and small has helped us to achieve our goal in a very short time."