TREMENDOUS public backing has seen a Ballingry two year-old get a special chair which has given him mobility.

Patrick Jack Leishman, who has just turned two, was born with spina-bifida and spent the first four and a half months of his life in the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.

Patrick has had a difficult start to his life but he is a youngster that is always keen to get involved in activities and when his mum Kimberley Smith came up with a couple of fundraising ideas he wanted to be part of the events.

She said: "Patrick Jack needs a special baby chair just now called a Zipzac which comes from the United States.

"These cost £1,200 and I started the fundraising to try to buy one but things really then started to take off.

"We held at sponsored walk around Lochore Meadows Country Park on Saturday March 25 and then followed it with a race night the following Friday at Lochgelly Golf Club and really the support from everybody was quite unbelievable."

The sun shone on the Fancy Dress Sponsored Walk event and it was quite a day at the Meedies with some of the costumes showing some amazing imagination.

Added Kimberley: "I think we had everyone from Batman to Robin Hood but the thing is everyone had a great time and at the same time raised just over £2000.

"The race night at the golf club was brilliantly backed also and the people had a great night."

Patrick Jack is paralysed from the waist down and Zipzac chair really assists him to get about.

However, thanks to support from the workforce at the Mossmorran Petro-Chemical Complex funds for the his chair were raised and through t Spina-Bifida Scotland he is the proud user of it.

Added Kimberley: "It was brilliant how the Mossmorran workforce got involved and we are really indebted to them and Kevin Kirby played a big part in getting this organised.

"I originally thought that the walk might raise £100 and the race night something similar so to realise £3,600 is simply unbelievable.

"I felt that having raised such a superb sum with the help of so many people we should split the money between the Neuro Spinal Ward at the Sick Kids Hospital and also Spina Bifida Scotland.

"As I say the backing from the community of Ballingry and Benarty in general has been unbelievable and I thank everyone who has helped make this total possible."