THE mother of a teenage amputee is calling for an end to an ‘unfair’ benefit system after years of being told her daughter ‘was not disabled enough’ to be given financial help.

When she was just 16 months old Lisa Dodd, of Sherwood Grove, Helsby, had her foot amputated after being diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that irreparably weakened the bones in her lower left leg.

But when Lisa’s mother, Cheryl, tried to get financial support to help her daughter lead a normal life she says that she was told her daughter was ‘not disabled enough’.

After more than a decade of struggling to pay for treatment and transport to hospital appointments, Cheryl, 50, has vowed to change the benefit system which allows criminals and cheats to help themselves to millions of pounds every year while vulnerable disabled people are left struggling to get by.

“If Lisa was take to take off her leg she literally couldn’t go anywhere,” said Cheryl, who lives with husband Eddie and two children, Lisa and Neil.

Lisa, 16, is studying at Helsby High School sixth form, walks with a specially made prosthetic leg after being diagnosed with neurofibromatosis when she was six-months-old resulting in her left foot being amputated.

Cheryl said that Lisa was hoping to start learning to drive after her 17th birthday, but would need a specially adapted car to help lift her up to the steering wheel.

“We have not got any money for that kind of thing, but I don’t see why she should miss out,” said Cheryl.

“She should have been given help years ago, if she doesn’t get the financial support we will have to pay for it ourselves.

“It would put us into debt but we would do it.

“I have worked hard all of my life to give my kids the best life I can. This isn’t about the money, it is not the money that makes me angry, it is that these people [benefit cheats] are getting away with it.

“I will go to London if I have people behind me. We need to stop the Government giving money out to people who simply don’t deserve it.”

Cheryl is meeting Weaver Vale MP Graham Evans on December 9 to discuss her campaign.

“It is about time that people know what is going on and something is done to make it stop. People are getting money when there is nothing whatsoever wrong with them,” said Cheryl.