An anonymous donor has pledged thousands of pounds so that a little girl can finally get the specially adapted wheelchair she desperately needs.

Kelsey-Rose Punyer, four, of Birdwood Avenue, Deal, will be going off to Whitfield Aspen Primary School in Dover come September – hopefully with a new set of wheels to enable her to get around.

The donation follows a plea to Mercury readers by parents Kevin and Joanne, who asked for help paying for the £5,530 mobility aid, made by Veldink4kids.

Kelsey has Down’s syndrome, is partially deaf and is fed via a tube because she can’t yet eat solids. The wheelchair will enable her to get around independently and is vital to her development, they say.

The youngster’s start to life has not been easy: She spent the first nine months in and out of hospital undergoing various operations.

She has also suffered blood poisoning from the tube that fed her, and nearly died of septicemia during her earlier years.

Following the Mercury’s story in May, a solicitor called our Queen Street office with the news that an anonymous donor had seen the article and wanted to help.

“It was pretty overwhelming but it is good to know there are people out there who want to help disadvantaged people like Kelsey"-Kevin, Kelsey's father

All the Punyers’ dreams were answered on Friday, June 3, when the mystery benefactor pledged the funds they needed, just two weeks after a fundraising page was launched.

The family had already received one anonymous donation of £1,000 as well as £600 in smaller amounts.

A teary Mrs Punyer, 46, who is Kelsey’s full-time carer, was speechless when the Mercury informed her of the news of the anonymous donation.

Mr Punyer, a former security guard, said: “Joanne asked me to sit down and said ‘I have something to tell you’.

Kelsey has already been assessed by the company that makes the chair.

He said: “When we sat her in it she started moving the chair around. I am pretty sure it’s going to be a great benefit for her.

“We are amazed that in just under two weeks we will have a chair for her.”

Mr Punyer publicly thanked all who donated to the fundraising page, which has since been taken down.