TWO very special youngsters who suffer from rare conditions which affect their mobility have had their lives transformed in 2019 thanks to the gift of special wheels.

Carmela Chillery-Watson, five, and Jai Newmark, 10, who both live Market Lavington near Devizes, like to get out and about and now find it easier to join in family fun.

Carmela, who suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, has just received a £20,000 off road 4x4 X8 Extreme powerchair in hot pink.

Her mum Lucy said: “It allows Carmela to pretty much go anywhere she wants. It tackles thick sand, rocky paths, large puddles, kerbs and snow. It was a joy to watch her go on Bournemouth beach for the first time without relying on someone carrying her or pushing her.

“She has also been able to walk to school, tackling the awkward off road paths.”

Carmela said: “I love it, I feel free, it allows me to go anywhere without mum pushing me.”

It was bought with the help of community fundraising and from Variety Children’s Trust, The Finlay Foundation and Joseph Patrick Trust at Muscular Dystrophy UK.

It has also been a big year for Jai, who is a pupil of Larkrise School in Trowbridge, and was presented with a £7,700 tandem style bike which allows him to go on walks and bike rides with his family. It was paid for by fundraising by his mum Konika, topped up by Devizes Lions.

He also met two men who are raising awareness about the rare Foxg1 syndrome which affects Jai. Philip Brunschwiler and Ralf Ploner did a tour of Europe before meeting scientists in London, and paid a visit to Devizes to meet Jai.

His mum started fundraising in the village in 2014 to raise awareness of the rare condition suffered by her son.

At the time Jai, aged six, was thought thought to have been the first UK child to be diagnosed with FoxG1 Syndrome.