A charity has helped a disabled youngster’s dream come true after her family won a holiday of a lifetime to the USA.

Abigail Bolt, who was 10 on Wednesday, has spinal muscular atrophy which means the muscles in her body are weakened because cells in the spinal cord do not work properly.

She is confined to a wheelchair and is due to have surgery to have spinal metal rods fitted next year, which will mean she is able to sit up straighter and will create more room for her internal organs.

Her parents Melisa and Craig, of New Road, Minster, applied for the Destination Dreams competition through charity, Caudwell Children.

They got through to the second stage and had to submit details of their daughter’s condition and then found out they had been chosen as one of 25 families who would be going on the trip to Florida.

She, her parents and four-year-old brother Bradley, spent seven days visiting different theme parks earlier this month.

The highlight was a trip to Disney as St Edward’s Primary School pupil Abigail is a big fan of Ariel the mermaid and she was lucky enough to meet her heroine and have lots of photos taken with her.

Mrs Bolt, 28, said: “It was amazing and it was just the best feeling when we found out.

“It was somewhere she has always wanted to go and she absolutely thoroughly enjoyed it.

“We are going to see the surgeon about her operation in January so it came at the right time.

“We met some really amazing families and we are keeping in touch.”

Mrs Bolt also praised the volunteers from the charity who went on the trip and said they had made her daughter’s wishes come true and encouraged people to support the cause.

n To find out more about Caudwell, which provides practical and emotional support for disabled children and their families, go to www.caudwellchildren.com