Nine year-old's joy at being able to play in Hylton Castle Park as accessible swing is installed

A nine year old from Sunderland has been able to play at his local park again thanks to an accessible swing and roundabout being built.

WiIl has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and has been unable to use the equipment in the park next to Hylton Castle over the last few years as his condition deteriorated.

His auntie Angela Turnbull has been working with Sunderland Council over the last year, to get the swing so her nephew could enjoy playing in his local park again.

Work started back in April to install the equipment, but now Will has finally been able to enjoy it.

When work began to bring accessible play equipment to the park, Will's mum Caroline Calvert told ITV Tyne Tees: “As a parent of a child with a muscle-wasting condition, it is very sad when they cannot join in with their peers.

'We are so happy and grateful that this means William can feel included in his local community, playing with his friends and family.”

Susanne Driffield is the Regional Development Manager-North of England & East Midlands at Muscular Dystrophy UK.

The charity has supported Will and his family, and she said: “These videos make me so happy. Every child deserves the chance to ride on a swing. You can see the sheer joy in Will’s face. Thank you Sunderland Council.”

What is muscular dystrophy?

It is a genetic conditions that gradually causes the muscles to weaken, leading to an increasing level of disability.

It gets worse over time, and there is currently no cure.

There are different types of muscular dystrophy; Duchenne is one of the most common and severe forms and affects usually boys in their early childhood.

There is no cure for MD, but treatment can help to manage many of the symptoms.

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