A WOMAN from Yate raised over £3,000 during a sponsored walk to help fund a 10-year-old’s major operation.

Sarah Hitchings, 38, organised a sponsored walk of either three miles or 10 miles on Sunday, January 25 to help raise funds for ten-year-old Morgan Walker, from Bradley Stoke, who needs to raise £70,000 for two operations in America.

Around 60 people took part in the walk which started and finished in Chipping Sodbury High Street, and over £3,000 was raised in the process.

18 fund-raisers walked ten miles, starting at 9am while around 40 others chose to walk three miles, starting at 11am in the town to raise funds.

Mrs Hitchings organised the walk to help fund Morgan undergo surgery called selective dorsal rhyzotimy, which involves operating on the spinal cord, permanently removing all the bad, unhelpful messages that are sent around the body which comes from the damaged part of the brain.

The funds raised will go towards the operations, which can only be performed in America, acquiring the equipment that will help Morgan with his rehabilitation and his intensive physiotherapy to ensure he gets the best results.

Mrs Hitchings said: “The walk was a huge success raising over £3000, we haven’t got an exact total at the moment that was an estimate from asking the walkers so it could be more.

"I would like to say a huge thank you to all the lovely people who took part with the sponsored walks. I am lost for words, I am so pleased with the amount that we have raised so far, which is over £3200, there are still some very generous, kind hearted people who made the walks a success.

"Morgan is a great boy with so much determination, i am privileged to support the family on this journey."

Morgan requires full time one to one support and also suffers severe reflux where he is often sick and struggles to gain weight, and is also in constant pain.

Morgan's mother, Zoe Walker, said: "We are so grateful to Sarah Hitchings for organising the fundraising event "Sunday Stroll" for Hope for Morgan which was a massive success.

"The day was thoroughly enjoyed by everybody. There was a great atmosphere. Sarah worked so hard organising, and making sure the day went smoothly and raising a fantastic amount of £ 3200 minimum.

"There were tears all round when we discovered how much the event had raised. Sarah has been so supportive and caring and given up her free time to us to help raise money for Morgan which we are so honoured and eternally grateful. She has also not given up there and is in the process of organising another event with me and is a member of our committee.

"Morgan was so overwhelmed by all the people that attended the event and came to support him to make this operation possible."

Over 25 per cent of the target, £17,600, has been raised for Morgan through 484 donations so far.

To make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/hopeformorgan.