A YOUNG disabled boy from Chirk is to receive an extra Christmas present thanks to well-wishers.
Seven-year-old Owen Edwards suffers from severe autism and his hyperactive behaviour means it is virtually impossible to keep him secure with a normal safety harness as he travels in cars and buses.
His mum, 39-year-old Leanne Roberts, was desperate to find a solution to the problem and was given details of a special device known as a Unisafety travel harness, which seemed perfect for Owen.
The problem was it costs over £400 and as a single mother she could not afford it.
She applied to the Caudwell Children, a charity based in Stoke-on-Trent, which agreed to donate £354 towards the cost.
Leanne then put out a call on Facebook for someone to come up with the rest of the cash and, within just a few hours, an old friend, Cari Hayward, of Haywards scrapyard in Ruabon, got in touch to say she would pay the remaining £88.
Leanne has now ordered the new harness, which will be delivered in January.
She said: “Each time I take Owen out it is a problem.
“Every day he’s taken to a special school in Denbigh by taxi and has to be properly strapped in.
“Myself and the taxi company have tried all sorts of harnesses but he is so hyperactive he manages to wriggle out of all of them.
“The one I have found now is just what we need – it looks like a waistcoat and uses magnets to hold someone in place.
“You can also easily move it from vehicle to vehicle, so we can use it every time Owen travels.”
She added: “The charity very kindly came up with most of the money but I was still a bit short.
“I only put out a message on Facebook on Wednesday morning and within hours my friend Cari Hayward got in touch to say she would donate the other £88.
“It means Owen will now have a great Christmas present.
“I can’t thank her and everyone else enough.”
Cari said: “I have known Leanne for some time and was happy to help when I saw her message on Facebook.
“You work hard all year and it’s nice to give something like this for somebody at the end of it.
“It helped give me the Christmas spirit.”
Last May, the Leader revealed how neighbours in Chirk rallied round to give Leanne’s garden a surprise makeover to make it safer and more interesting for Owen to play in.