Money and well wishes have been pouring in for two-year-old Brooke Gould from people touched by the little girl's plight.

Readers have been so generous that her delighted family have announced that they have smashed their £2,400 target.

Today, her proud mum, Lisa Wright, thanked everyone who had contributed to the special walking frame, which she described as "life-changing".

Lisa said: "The support has really touched us and I would like to thank The Evening Telegraph and all its readers who have helped us.

"Every penny which has been sent in to the fund is going towards helping her walk. We have been completely overwhelmed and touched by the response from strangers who read the story."

And the money could not have come at a better time, as already Brooke's hips are becoming dislocated due to her lack of mobility.

She added: "If you don't walk, your bones don't form, so she is now having to wear a hip brace at night. Getting this bike will now prevent her having to undergo an operation and will give her a complete new lease of life.

"Mentally she is all there and she is getting frustrated like any two year old who is striving for those first steps of independence.

"The only way I can describe it is if you strapped the legs of your active toddler together and said don't move. It will make life amazing for her."

From individual donations of a few pounds, to cheques from groups including £1,000 from the Husaini Islamic Centre, £325 courtesy of a raffle by Hotpoint staff, and £520 from Drainage manufacturer Clark Drain, kind-hearted readers have been generous with not just money but with sending good wishes too.

Lisa said: "It's been more than the money, it's knowing people care and have gone out of the way to send us letters. One old lady spent hours knitting a simple teddy bear, which Brooke loves and now even sleeps with.

"The letters have been put into a scrapbook for Brooke to look through when she is older."

The appeal started after Brooke had been given a trial demonstration of the special walker, developed by a company in the US, which is designed to help children with conditions such as hers.

But the family were then devastated to hear that the NHS could not afford to foot the cost.

Now the order form for the frame has been sent off and the family is waiting for it to be delivered from America.

In an effort to help other families they are now hosting a special fund-raising day on Saturday, November 29, at Hampton Hargate Primary School for the Brooke Gould's Fund for Disabled Children.

The money raised will be used to help other disabled children at Brooke's singing group.