Car journeys used to be a real test of nerve for Huddersfield mum Dearbhla Gartland, especially when four-year-old Sean was in the back.

Sean, who has Down’s Syndrome, has no awareness of danger. His favourite trick was to unclip the safety harness on his car seat, and then do the same to two-year-old sister Lily.

It led Dearbhla, who lives in Milnsbridge, to look for a solution. She found it via the support of local fundraisers and the charity Newlife, which provides specialist equipment for children with disabilities and terminal illnesses.

Sean now rides around in a state-of-the-art car seat costing almost £700. As no local authority funding was available the money came from Central England Co-Operative: the Co-Op.

Support worker Dearbhla, 38, said travelling to Sean’s various medical appointments became tricky, especially when she took the bus.

She said: “I have tried taking him on the bus in his special needs buggy, but the space for prams is often already full and if I collapse his buggy and try to sit with him on a bus seat – with Lily – he won’t say still but will instead run about the vehicle; it’s just too dangerous.”

She added: “Driving is the safest option, but it was very difficult for me to concentrate on the road when I was having to keep a constant watch on Sean. At first he could only get his arms out of his car seat straps but then he started undoing his harness and leaning across to undo his sister’s safety straps too.”

The new, bigger than standard, seat has extra padding and a five-point harness that means Sean can no longer undo the straps. Journeys are now much easier, comfortable and secure.

Funding for Sean’s car seat has come thanks to support from Central England Co-operative, which has helped almost 630 disabled and terminally ill children through its charity partnership with Newlife.

Since 2012, colleagues and customers at the Co-Op stores have raised £1.3m for the charity. Every penny is directly spent on providing specialist equipment for disabled and terminally ill children in the retailer’s trading area.

Andrew Bates, manager at the Co-Op store in Halifax Road, Birchencliffe, said: “Central England Co-operative takes fundraising to help local communities very seriously, and we are committed to making a positive impact in the local areas in which we trade. Working with Newlife has provided a great opportunity for us to help make life easier for youngsters like Sean.”