A COUPLE hope to raise £22,000 to buy a uniquely-designed powerchair for their bright and beautiful little boy who will probably never speak.

Charlie and Richard Phillips, of Middlesbrough, have already received £2,000 in donations for Oscar, six, who has cerebral palsy.

Their fundraising drive has made a promising start thanks to car boot sales, sponsored walks and even a sponsored climb up Ben Nevis but they are still a daunting £20,000 short of their target.

Oscar has quadriplegia, meaning he has little use of his arms and legs. Mrs Phillips said: “I don’t want people looking at Oscar and seeing a poor little disabled boy because he’s not a poor little disabled boy, he’s my son.”

Oscar first experienced a powered chair playing at Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club who scouted him at his primary school, Priory Woods in Middlesbrough.

Once they reach their target, Charlie and Richard, who have another son, two-year-old Freddie, intend to continue raising funds for the Turbo Trust, which helps children and adults gain mobility. Donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/charlotte-phillips20