Race against time to fund stairlift for Barnsley girl with cerebral palsy

• Video report by Martin Fisher

The family of an eight-year-old girl from Barnsley are facing a race against time to find £20,000 for a specialist stairlift before planning permission runs out.

Betsy Johnson, who has cerebral palsy, relies on her mum, Beth Pollock, to take her upstairs to her bedroom or the toilet, but her family says she is "determined" to be more independent as she gets older.

Beth said although her daughter can't walk "she wants to do everything on her own."

She said: "Sometimes she'll spend 25 minutes trying to put on a t-shirt because she wants to do it on her own.

"She is that determined to do it but one of major things she wants to do on her own is go up to her bedroom on her own with her friends, without me having to carry her.

She added: "It's that dignity, that independence that everybody else gets that you take for granted and she wants it."

Betsy was starved of oxygen for 16 minutes when she was born as Beth went through a complicated labour. Her parents were told by doctors that if she was unable to walk by the age of four, she may never be mobile on her own.

A GoFundMe campaign has already raised £15,000 but another £5,000 is needed so that work can start before planning permission runs out in just a few months time.

Betsy said: "I want a lift because I want to do things independently."

Asked what would be the first thing she'd do after it's installation, Betsy replied: "I'll go upstairs and dance!

"I want to do that all by myself."

Beth thanked everyone who has donated so far and said they have received a lot of support from the community in Barnsley.

She said: "It is a very Barnsley thing isn't it, when somebody in the town who needs some help - they help."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.