A CEREBRAL palsy sufferer who carried the Paralympic flame has undergone a ground-breaking operation which could help him walk for the first time in his life.

Josh Dunn, 18, from Endsleigh Close, Upton, Chester, who has always used a wheelchair, is the only patient to undergo the procedure in the north of England in a coup for Liverpool’s Alder Hey hospital.

The complex operation, which aims to reduce ‘tightness’ in the muscles, can be life-changing for children with cerebral palsy but is relatively new to the UK having been available to patients in the US for some time.

And the signs are looking good for Josh who can already wiggle his toes and bend his legs for the first time, with the hope he may one day be able to walk, possibly without sticks.

His mum Joan, who also has a 14-year-old son Jon, said: “This is a ground-breaking operation, and hopefully will lead the way for many other children from the North West to benefit from this procedure.

“Josh is extremely fortunate to be offered this in the UK on the NHS and we are so grateful to Benedetta Pettorini (neurosurgeon) for all of the hard work that her and her team have undertaken in order for this to happen.”

Despite his legs, arms and speech being affected by the condition, Josh, a student of West Cheshire College and a professional wheelchair basketball player who drives an adapted car, is determined to fulfil his potential.

Over the summer he carried the Paralympic flame in a miner’s lamp through Ellesmere Port having collected it from the London where he met David Cameron, Sebastian Coe and London mayor Boris Johnson.

“Since his diagnosis, Josh’s determined attitude, personality, and great sense of humour, has enabled him to reach new heights and become a valued member of society,” added his mum, who is married to Josh’s dad Phil.

“He is known for his constant smile and is always willing to accept a challenge. We were all extremely proud when Josh was selected as a Paralympics Ambassador for London 2012.

“It was an amazing opportunity, not only for Josh personally, but to highlight that having a disability does not mean exclusion and that everyone should have a chance to realise their ambitions.”

Alder Hey is only the third centre in the UK to offer the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) procedure which involves cutting nerves in the spine which have an abnormal reflex response.

Neurosurgeon Benedetta Pettorini said the surgery was ‘high risk’ and the patient required intensive rehabilitation, but added: “Josh’s operation went really well.

“There were no complications and his spasticity has drastically improved. He will now begin intensive physiotherapy and we will see how he gets on over the next month.

“It is fantastic that we are now in a position to offer this surgery to patients. SDR surgery has the potential to have a life-changing impact on children and young people with cerebral palsy, significantly improving their movement and giving them greater independence.”

Josh’s story has been filmed for BBC TV’s North West Tonight and may feature in this evening’s programme.