TWO-YEAR-OLD Maxwell McKnight from Eaton Socon was beaming when he sat for the first time in his new £16,500 specially adapted wheelchair. His family began a fundraising appeal after Maxwell was born with a genetic disease that means he has a weakness of

TWO-YEAR-OLD Maxwell McKnight from Eaton Socon was beaming when he sat for the first time in his new £16,500 specially adapted wheelchair.

His family began a fundraising appeal after Maxwell was born with a genetic disease that means he has a weakness of the muscles, known as spinal muscular atrophy.

His father, Paul, said: "The wheelchair is all singing and dancing. He is getting used to the speed of the chair, it moves at a jogging pace."

Maxwell, who has a six-week-old baby sister Jasmine, will start at Eaton Socon Pre-School in January.

The efforts of his parents, Paul and Joanne, were helped by The Variety Club of Great Britain which gave them £7,500, a grant from the NHS of £3,500 and St Neots-based The Mortgage Broker's fundraising ball, which raised £1,000.

They also received £5,000 from a masonic charity called Wheels for Martin and £1,000 from two friends, Mike Yelland and David Boden, who ran the St Neots Marathon.

Mr McKnight said: "The response has been overwhelming. What seemed liked a huge mountain has been levelled off by the great donations and everyone's support.