A CAMPAIGN to help a little girl with a rare disease has won support from Devizes firefighters.

They are to stage a car wash at Devizes fire station from 10am to 2pm on June 22 to help Carmela Chillery-Watson.

Carmela, five, from Market Lavington, near Devizes has a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy called LMNA-CMD.

She was diagnosed when she was just 18 months old and since then her parents Lucy and Darren have been doing everything they can to ensure she leads an active life for as long as possible.

Mrs Chillery-Watson said: “Carmela is still quite mobile and relies on her motorised wheelchair for long walks and tired days.

“She loves life and thoroughly enjoys being active but can get upset and frustrated when she can’t do things.” It is feared Carmela may not live into adulthood and doctors originally told her parents she could die before she was ten.

They originally set up Carmela’s Stand Up To Muscular Dystrophy family fund to raise money for research through the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK.

But now they are fundraising for specialist physiotherapy sessions. Her mum said: "Due to Carmela's deterioration in her strength, we have had to start another fund purely for her.

"Virgin Active are unable to provide regular physio so we have to source it privately  plus specially adapted equipment to keep her mobile for longer.

"The car wash is in aid of Carmela's therapy fund for physio and equipment plus the fighter fighters charity.

To support the fund go to https://just4children.org/children-helped2019/carmelas-fight-to-stay-mobile/

Half the cash will also go to the Firefighters Charity.