A three-year-old girl who suffers from a rare illness is set to recieve a life-changing, specialised wheelchair, after a successful £15,000 fundraising bid.

Sophie Saunders, of Winters Way in Waltham Abbey, is one of just 300 youngsters in the world known to suffer from 'Ullrich Muscular Dystrophy' which causes extreme muscle weakness.

The family of the three-year-old successfully raised £15,000 to buy the wheelchair, which will greatly improve Sophie’s mobility, with the help of their local community.

Sophie's condition has already caused breathing problems at night and despite the average life expectancy for the condition being late teens, she is not expected to live past the age of 12.

Today her parents were able to confirm they have ordered the chair, which Sophie will be fitted in next week.

The chair will enable her to join her friends at smaller tables, which at the moment she is unable to do, and lift herself up to get a drink.

Her mother, Natalie Moss, 25, said: "I would like to say a massive thank you, there's not many words that can describe the happiness that people's generosity has brought to Sophie.

"It's also going to make getting that wheelchair in and out of the car easier, just the little things, we are so very grateful.

"We are going to surprise Sophie with the chair next week, she still keeps asking where her red wheelchair that goes up and down with lights is and I just say be ready soon.

"We can't wait to see Sophie's reaction."