A DISABLED youngster will be going on a dream holiday thanks to the generosity of a group of fundraising pensioners.

Elderly residents from Weston Court care home, Weston, in Southampton, have been raising cash to send 11-year-old Matthew Bonney on holiday with his pals.

Mathew, a pupil at Cedar School for physically disabled children in Nursling, suffers from a rare degenerative disease called arthogryposis.

The money will enable him to visit a new activity centre for youngsters with special needs in Cornwall.

The centre, called Church Town, is run by a charitable organisation called the Winged Fellowship.

But it costs £600 for a place on the week-long holiday, which starts at the end of August.

Now the pensioners, who heard about Mathew's plight through the home's manager Bev Weir, are challenging other groups across the city to follow their lead and raise cash to put a smile on the faces of 11 other youngsters who hope to get a place on the holiday.

Mathew's dad Dave, 42, from Hurst Green, Weston, said: "I sometimes sing for the residents, and when they heard about Mathew, they just offered to help.

"It was their idea to challenge other groups across the region, saying: "If a group of old age pensioners can collect this sum of money to send a young boy on a fun holiday, can you do any better?"

Ms Weir, 49, said: "The residents just decided that this was a cause they wanted to support and offer some help to.

"When they realised that there were other children also in need of help to get enough cash together to go on the holiday, they were just as keen to keep on going and fundraise for the other youngsters."

The pensioner's group has so far raised over £600 through a variety of raffles and a Christmas fete - enough to pay for Mathew's place.

But for these fundraisers, that's simply not enough.

Their next plan is to stage a karaoke party at the home, for which they have already roped in officers from Bitterne police station to take part.

A spokesman from the station said: "It's a good cause and the residents are obviously determined to help, so provided people are available, I'm sure we'll be offering our support."

Anyone wishing to support this cause should contact Dave on 023 8036 1008.