A HAMPSHIRE family's fundraising campaign to pay for treatment so a six-year-old can walk has been given a boost.

A head injury in 2014, when Frankie Duke was two, left the youngster from Fareham unable to walk, talk, eat or crawl.

Frankie's family, together with Frankie’s Heroes, applied to regional housebuilder Persimmon Homes South Coast to become one of its Community Champions.

Each month, under the match-funded scheme, the housebuilder donates up to £2,000 to help two community groups or people within the region, and has donated £1,000 towards Frankie's treatment.

Frankie’s mother Rachel Nesbitt said: “We cannot thank Persimmon Homes enough for its support.

“Frankie has relearned most things, except being able to walk due to severe spasticity in his legs.

"He finally got accepted for a selective dorsal rhizotomy operation last October, which has taken away the spasticity, but he is now left incredibly weak and needs intensive physiotherapy for the next two years.”

The donation will help pay for Conductive Education at the Rainbow Centre in Fareham, which supports children, adults and those caring for them, who are affected by Cerebral Palsy, stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and head injuries.

Rachel added: “Frankie’s Heroes was set up with the support of registered charity, Tree of Hope, in order to share Frankie’s journey, which involved fundraising £19,000 for his selective dorsal rhizotomy, and to show people who have helped us raise money for his ongoing physiotherapy needs what Frankie is getting up to on his journey to gain independence and mobility.”

Matt Paine, managing director for Persimmon Homes South Coast, said: “We are delighted that we can help in this way and hope it gives Frankie the support he needs.