A moving video about a nine-year-old boy’s battle with cerebral palsy has prompted donations of more than £12,000 towards life-changing surgery.

Krista and Alastair Nelson, of West Cliff Drive, Herne Bay, have launched an appeal to raise £25,000 to take Oliver to America for the operation.

In less than two weeks, more than £12,000 has come in after friends, family and neighbours shared the link to a fundraising web page.

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Oliver tells his own story in the video, explaining how his dream is to walk on his own and that there is surgery that can help him do this.

There is no cure for his condition, but Oliver is on the waiting list for an operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy at the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.

At the moment he gets around at home by crawling or using a walking frame, and every time he leaves the house he has to use a wheelchair.

Surgeons have predicted there is a good chance the operation will mean he will be able to walk independently at home.

"We cried for a week and then figured out what we needed to do..." - Oliver's mum Krista

Krista, 39, gave birth to Oliver 12 weeks early and he weighed just two-and-a-half pounds.

She says the type of cerebral palsy he has got can only be caused by prematurity and a lack of oxygen at birth.

“Oliver was in hospital for eight weeks after he was born,” she said.

“He turned blue several times – it was scary and very difficult. We didn’t find out he had cerebral palsy until he was 18 months old.

“He was fine in every other way, but he didn’t crawl or sit up or walk. We cried for a week and then figured out what we needed to do.

“We always look at it that we are lucky he was born at 28 weeks and lived. He’s not as bad as so many other disabled children, and we count our blessings.”

Krista, who also has two daughters – Jessica, 10, and Evelyn, two – and another child on the way, says the fact Oliver is mentally aware can sometimes make it harder on him as he knows he cannot do things other children can.

Every day he has to take medication for cramps and pains, and his legs are always tensed up.

Whenever he tries to walk, his toes are curled under and his feet turn on to their side, but the surgery will change this.

After the operation there will be six months of intensive physiotherapy so Oliver, who is a member of 1st Herne Bay Cubs, can strengthen his legs and learn how to use them again.

Krista said: “He doesn’t really complain but every few weeks he has a cry and says he doesn’t want to be disabled and wants to walk. But now he’s hopeful for this operation.

“Just being able to walk across the room will be life-changing – to go to the kitchen and get a drink on his own.

“It will change all our lives and we will be able to do more as a family.

“We need help to raise at least £25,000 so he can have this surgery,” she added.

Although there is currently an NHS trial of the surgery, it is not readily available.

The operation can be done at Great Ormond Street Hospital, but Krista says the family are still waiting to hear back from bosses there, whereas they have already been accepted at St Louis.

She said: “It costs the same as Great Ormond Street and the surgeon at St Louis has been doing it for 20 years and has never had a complication.

"We just feel more confident about it – people go from all over the world to have this operation at St Louis.”

Krista says she is overwhelmed and cannot quite believe the support they have.

She said: “We know we will reach our target because people have been amazing.”

To donate towards the total or read more of Oliver’s story, click here.