An Ipswich mother-of-two today spoke of her gratitude after a fun day held in aid of her young son who suffers from a rare genetic condition raised more than £8,000.

Little George Woodward was just 21-months-old when he was diagnosed with Type 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a condition which affects the spinal cord which causes muscle weakness and leads to severe disability.

George’s family have been raising money since the diagnosis to fund different items and care that George needs to improve his quality of life.

On Saturday, a fun day was hosted at the King George V Playing Fields in aid of the youngster, with different fundraising initiatives helping to raise £8,500.

George’s mum, Laura Barber, said: “People’s generosity was just overwhelming. We had people handing us envelopes, people had done sponsored events and there was a guy who did a sponsored headshave. The money kept rolling in and it is going to go a long way.

“It is fantastic. There are no words to say how much it all means to us. It is amazing.”

The money raised at the event, which included a petting zoo, charity football match and auction, will help to fund a number of things for George, including a lightweight manual wheelchair.

Laura and her partner, Lee Woodward, say they will not stop in their quest to raise funds and awareness of his condition, which can lead to other issues, including respiratory problems.

She added: “We can’t stop it and we can’t slow it down , it’s a progressive condition and there is no cure or treatment.

“What we do have is physio and things like that which help him strengthen his muscles. We need to make sure he has the best in life and I will not stop what I’m doing until he has got what he needs.”

If you would like to donate, or to find out more, visit www.georgewoodwardfund.co.uk. Alternatively, you can follow ‘George Woodward’ on Facebook.