A FIVE-year-old Winchester girl with cerebral palsy has had a dream come true after the people of Hampshire raised thousands of pounds to buy her a new wheelchair.

Zofia Bichler will taste independence for the first time after a charity-backed appeal reached its target of £3,292 after months of campaigning.

The St Peter's Catholic Primary School pupil struggles to get around in her heavy current walker, which leaves her exhausted over longer distances despite major surgery.

But now she will have a new lightweight model which she can push around school by herself.

Her parents, Lukas Bichler and Malgorzata Bichler, said the new chair will greatly improve her life.

Mr Bichler said: "Zofia goes to a mainstream school and she loves it. She is a very bright girl and she is doing fine, but a lightweight wheelchair would let her be more independent.

"The new wheelchair will let Zofia take part in more activities and socialise more with other children. It will make a big difference to us as a family. Zofia depends on us for everything but she really wants to be more independent so the wheelchair will make her much happier - and if she is happier then so are we."

Zofia was born after 26 weeks of pregnancy. Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy leaves her body weak and limbs stiff.

In 2013, aged three, she underwent £50,000 open spinal surgery in America to mobilise her legs, but she is still left tired trying to push her walker.

Her parents, of Water Lane, received a government grant of £300 for the wheelchair, but couldn't afford the leftover bill of £3,000 alongside physiotherapy and other costs.

In April they turned to the Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, which recently launched a Hampshire Fund to help the county's disabled and terminally ill youngsters.

Stephen Morgan, the charity's main head of operations, said: “We are delighted the people of Hampshire have answered the call which means Zofia will soon have the lightweight wheelchair she needs to give her more freedom.

“Zofia is one of 11 children in Hampshire who are in need of vital equipment right now which will cost a total of £10,995. The equipment they need will change their lives – just like Zofia’s new wheelchair will transform life for her and her family.”