A Mirfield schoolboy got a scoop from a former TV newsreader.

Six-year-old Sam Bottomley is hoping to undergo a life-changing operation to be able to walk independently.

And he’s signed up TV broadcaster Christa Ackroyd to support his cause.

When the former presenter of BBC Look North and ITV’s Calendar heard about Sam’s fundraising mission on Twitter she offered her support to help him raise £35,000.

Christa met Sam at the Yummy Yorkshire dairy farm, where his dad Steve works, and helped Louise and Jeremy Holmes, the founders of Yummy Yorkshire, make a batch of chocolate ice cream.

The ice cream makers are donating 20p of every scoop of chocolate ice cream sold towards Sam’s fundraising activity until Sam’s operation.

Christa said: “How lovely to be able to try and help lovely Sam achieve his goal and walk. And with the added bonus of sampling his favourite chocolate ice cream.”

Sam was born with cerebral palsy, which makes the muscles in his legs so tight and stiff that he cannot stand or walk without adult support.

He has been given the chance of having a life-changing operation at Leeds General Infirmary called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), which will ultimately help him to stand and walk independently.

Yummy Yorkshire founder Jeremy Holmes, added: “When Christa offered her support we jumped at the chance to welcome her onto the farm and tell her more about Sam’s mission.

“We have already raised £160 – that’s 800 scoops - from chocolate ice cream sales but Sam still has a long way to go in reaching his target amount so needs all the help he can get.

“We are very grateful to Christa for offering her support.”

Sam’s mum Karen said: “It was wonderful to meet Christa and she was very keen to promote Sam’s cause. She was a natural with Sam, who enjoyed having chocolate ice-cream with her and showing her the cows.”

To support Sam’s Wish to Walk visit www.justgiving/samswishtowalk or text SWTW70 and the donation value to 70070.

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