A MIDDLEWICH schoolgirl and her family have been overwhelmed by supporters and well-wishers since her story was featured in the Guardian.

Fundraisers have pulled out all the stops to help Amy Hutchinson go on school trips with her classmates after we reported 1st Cledford Brownies' bingo evening, which raised £230 for the nine-year-old.

Amy, a pupil at St Mary's RC Primary School, has spina bifida which means she cannot walk and will be wheelchair bound for life, but hiring an accessible coach for her to travel with her friends costs an extra £200 per trip.

Amy's dad Mike said: "The school is fantastic and has always done as much as it can to ensure Amy is fully included in all aspects of her school life with her able-bodied classmates.

"The problem we've had is that there's no funding for transport from the Government, councils or LEAs so when Amy goes on trips with the school she has to either go in a car with the teacher or I have to take a day off work to lift her on and off the coach."

He added: "Thank you to the Guardian for all your support and continued advertising of this issue because it has brought in other interest and help."

The Hutchinson family hope to raise £1,000 a year for up to eight years to cover an average of five annual trips.

But Mike, a teacher at Tarporley Community High School, said their campaign has been given a boost with more than £1,000 raised during a non-uniform day at his school.

He said: "I presented assemblies in school to all year groups showing them images of the coach, discussed inclusion in schools and awareness of disability as a whole.

"Amy also made a short video and spoke to the students."

He added: "We raised a massive £1,225 on the day, which is the best non-uniform fundraising figure we've ever had.

"I feel this was because it was an important issue but also because it was far more real to them because they know me and many of them know Amy - it is a local issue they could relate to."