YOUNG Freya McGlone is enjoying a new lease of life after friends and family bought her a new set of wheels.

Freya, three-and-a-half, was born with cerebral palsy and cannot walk unaided.

To raise money for a customised trike, she undertook a sponsored toddle in an adapted walker.

Neighbours in Malvern Avenue, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, and friends of her parents, Mick McGlone and Christine Wallace, rallied round to support the youngster.

Mr McGlone said: "She managed 100 yards in her walker. We even had a ribbon for her to run through at the finish line."

The trike, which cost £1,078, can be extended so it can grow along with Freya, and should last her at least five years.

Mr McGlone said: "She has always loved bikes and having the trike basically makes her more mobile."

Freya has a mild form of cerebral palsy, and at first her parents thought she was a slow developer.

Mr McGlone, her full-time carer, said: "We only found out when she was eight months old.

"She went for a hearing test and she was not responding. They did some more tests and told us it was cerebral palsy.

"She still cannot walk and needs speech and language therapy, but she tries very hard and we are hopeful she will walk one day."

Among her sponsors were parents at Newker Nursery, in Chester-le-Street, which she attends, staff at the Bupa Hospital in Washington, where her mother works as a physiotherapist, and lecturers at South Tyneside College.

Waldridge Road Toddlers group, where Freya was a member before she started nursery, organised a raffle and donated £115.

The Fenrir Motorcycle Brotherhood gave £50 and an anonymous donor gave the family £100.

Mr McGlone said: "It has been a real community effort and everybody has been great.