The family of a three-year-old boy with cerebral palsy are desperately trying to raise £30,000 in a bid to help him learn to walk like his twin brother. 

Little Jenson Nicholls, from High Wycombe, was born at just 29 weeks, weighing 2lb 5oz. 

But it was not until he was nearly a year old his family realised he was not sitting properly and he was sent for an MRI scan. 

Soon after, his family received the devastating news that he had cerebral palsy - the name for a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination, caused by a problem with the brain that occurs before, during or soon after birth.

His family were unsure about how the condition would affect Jenson - but soon he started waking in the middle of the night in “terrible pain” because of tight muscles in his legs.

After hearing about a pioneering new operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), his family approached Great Ormond Street Hospital to see if they would do the complex treatment. 

SDR is aimed at relieving tight and stiff muscles and involves operating on the nerves in the spine. 

In a statement, Jenson’s family said: “The more we researched this procedure the more we realised it was something we wanted Jenson to have. 

“It would rid him of all tightness and pain in his legs and possibly allow him to walk unaided.”

His parents have learned that the operation will now be funded by the NHS - but they desperately need £30,000 to pay for years of intensive physio which will cost between £50 and £80 a session.

They said: “We cannot put him through this gruelling operation for nothing and the much needed physio isn’t funded. 

“This will enable Jenson to live more comfortably without the tightness in his legs, learn to walk like his twin brother and maybe just maybe run, jump, climb and dance with him too.”

Go to just4children.org/children-helped2018/jensons-giant-leap to donate to the fund.