HOWZAT for a birthday party?

Guests at Durham County Cricket Club's stadium may be used to celebrating “fours”, but the Emirates ICG has never seen a bash like the one thrown by the family of disabled tot Ava Roberts to celebrate her fourth birthday on Saturday night (November 15).

Nearly a century of well-wishers were bowled over by a night of live music, prizes, competitions and games – all to raise money for the star player, brave little Ava.

The youngster’s development has been severely limited by seizures since she was a baby.

Her plight has produced a remarkable outpouring of public sympathy, with supporters raising £12,000 in just five months to send her for treatment in Florida, USA, last year and a further £4,000 to pay for similar therapy in Slovakia this summer.

The two-week course at the Adeli Medical Centre in Piestany, includes hot and cold treatments, oxygen, speech, muscle, physical and mud therapies, which impressed Ava’s parents, Mark and Judith, of Nettlesworth, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, so much they want to take her back up to twice a year.

The next two-week trip is scheduled for April, which means another £4,000 is needed.

Saturday’s £25-a-ticket Birthday Ball, held at the Chester-le-Street Riverside ground’s Castle View Suite in advance of Ava’s fourth birthday on Wednesday (November 19) took the family a big step closer to reaching their target, with £1,700 raised on the night.

On the campaign’s Facebook page, they wrote afterwards: “Thank you to everyone who came along tonight, donated prizes, bought raffle tickets and supported us. We made a massive £1,700 tonight.”

The event was attended by Mr and Mrs Roberts, Ava and their other daughter Molly, along with around 80 adults and 11 children.

There was a formal dinner, auction, raffle, live music, games and a disco.

Mr and Mrs Roberts hope Ava will eventually talk and sit unaided.

For more information, visit facebook.com/foravasintensivetherapyhope2013, justgiving.com/foravasintensivetherapyhope or babyavasmiraclejourney.blogspot.com