The mother of a three-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who is trying to raise money for an operation to help her daughter walk said she is "in shock" after a charity dinner dance raised a staggering £20,000. 

Through the charity Orla’s Own Steps, the family of Orla Brash, who can only walk with the help of a frame called Spot, are hoping to raise £85,000 for a six hour operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, that will not be funded by the NHS. 

The total raised from the charity dinner dance and auction at the Crowne Plaza in Marlow on February 6 has now brought the total up to £52,700. 

More than 150 people attended the event, which was sponsored by Big Yellow Self Storage and had a Vegas girls drinks reception, live music from The Polka Dots and Riser and entertainment from Bucks School of Dance, and helped raise the staggering total. 

Orla's mum, Sue Brash, said: "It is absolutely above and beyond what we expected. We thought we might raise around £10,000.

"I just can't believe it, it is amazing." 

  • The next fundraising event will take place on March 1, with a bus trip to the Rebellion Brewery. Pick up times are: 6.30pm at the bus stop near Waitrose/Shell garage in Hazlemere, 6.45pm at Old Queens Head, Penn or 7.10pm at Saracens Head, Beaconsfield.

    Tickets are £20 and include return travel from the brewery, 5 x 1 pint vouchers, a souvenir glass, talks given on brewery history and methods. Buy tickets from Gleeson’s butchers in Hazlemere Road or call Sue Brash on 07793 156539.