The grandmother of a toddler with a rare disease says she feels like Christmas has come early after the arrival of the tot’s much-needed specialist pushchair.

Two-year-old Elana Lamb is already suffering the effects of hypomyelinating leukodystrophy – a degenerative health condition which affects sight and mobility.

She is not entitled to a wheelchair until she is three, so in September her grandmother Ann Gardiner, 52, of St Richard’s Road, Deal, launched an appeal to buy one themselves.

The community appeal raised £3,500 with which the family purchased a Hoggi 2 specialist pushchair from Mobility For You, based in Surrey.

It arrived last week and is set to transform the lives of both the toddler and her grandmother, who has guardianship.

Ms Gardiner said: “It’s like Christmas has arrived early.

“I would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who has donated and supported Elana’s fundraising.

“It’s amazing how quickly we have reached our goal.

“This will make such a difference to both of us. For Elana, to be able to get out of the house in a chair that fits her needs, and for myself, a chair with great manoeuvrability and knowing Elana’s spine is in the correct position.

“It will give us independence to get out and about, freeing up family and friends from driving us around.” The pair enjoyed their first trip out in the pushchair on Friday.

Ms Gardiner added: “Elana really enjoyed it, as did I.”

Elana was just three weeks old when she started experiencing seizures and her family noticed her unusual eye movements.

She underwent several MRI scans to help identify the problem before specialists said they were 90% sure of what she was suffering from.

The rare disease will eventually affect her spinal cord, causing difficulties with her mobility and functioning. It could shorten her life expectancy to as little as eight years.

The last fundraising event for Elana was held at the Alma pub in West Street on Saturday, November 11, raising just over £500.