SIX-year-old Ben Gannon is recovering after undergoing an operation intended to help him to walk for the first time.

Ben, from Malvern, suffers from quadreplegic cerebral palsy, meaning he has motor problems in all four limbs. He underwent surgery at St Louis Children’s Hospital, in Missouri, on Tuesday (April 26).

His mum Lorraine said the selective dorsal rhizotomy operation went successfully, although Ben has been in a lot of pain as he starts to recover from the procedure.

“It's so traumatic for him, even though he has been heavily sedated,” she said. “He's restless and wants to get out of bed even though he's in do much pain with his legs and back.”

Ben is set to be out of bed for the first time for about an hour today (Friday, April 29), and Mrs Gannon says that there is a lot of hard work ahead.

“He said to me ‘I think I can do this mummy, I think I might be able to walk’,” she said. “The doctor says he has every chance now of being able to use a walker, but that he has some underlying weaknesses and that we need to get his muscle strength up.

“We will probably have to come back in a year’s time for more surgery.”

The Gannons flew to America after raising more than £32,000 in just three-and-a-half months through the Ben Gannon Appeal.

The appeal set a target of raising £45,000, and Mrs Gannon said that, thanks to the generosity of local people, it should come very close to reaching that amount.

For more information visit bengannonappeal.co.uk.