A MOTHER has paid tribute to Westminster Children’s Centre in Ellesmere Port for giving her son a new lease of life.

Clair Leason had been trying since February to get a special walking aid for her two year-old son Alfie, who has Downs Syndrome.

Due to low muscle tone the youngster’s movement is heavily restricted.

But thanks to the centre stumping up the £900 to buy Alfie a “walker” he can now go outside and play with his older sister Codie.

Mr Leason said: “I first came across the walker at a National Deaf Children’s Society weekend. Alfie has hearing problems and wears an aid in one of his ears.

“One of the parents whose child was like Alfie and couldn’t walk had one.

“Alfie had a go and loved it. The woman was from Liverpool and had got it through her child’s physio.

“I asked Alfie’s but unfortunately there wasn’t the funding here to get one for him.”

She added: “It was getting me down. He just wanted to go outside and play with his sister.

“I called Westminster Children’s Centre for advice on how to raise the funds myself.

“It turned out that they had some funding left over at the end of the financial year so they bought it for him. I was in tears when they said they could help. I can’t thank them enough.

“He won’t need it for life so it will eventually go back into the community for somebody else to use.

“Children with Downs Syndrome have low muscle tone so this will help build them up.

“It will take time for them to get stronger but it gets him in a position to use his legs. He loves it.”