The family of a little boy with cerebral palsy and epilepsy are appealing for help to raise more than £2,000 to buy him a specialist chair.

Jack Mayer, ten, from White Notley, is also registered blind and is unable to speak.

He is unable to move and his mum Liz and stepdad Mike have to help him with every aspect of his life.

Jack was given a hard chair by support services but it was so uncomfortable for him it left him crying out in pain.

The only place Jack can now sit comfortably is in his wheelchair.

So his family are desperately trying to raise £2,112 to buy a specialist seat called a P Pod - based on a bean bag style seat.

Liz said: “We all know how it feels to be stuck in one position for too long, but when Jack’s wheelchair gets too uncomfortable for him to be in, the only other option is for him to lie on his bed – but this isolates him from the rest of the family.

“The P Pod would change everything – he would no longer be in pain and we can sit together in the evenings.

“It’s so frustrating – comfortable chairs aren’t seen as an essential item, so there is no help available.

“Families like us are faced with having to find thousands of pounds, just so their child can be comfortable.

“You don’t spend that on a three piece suite these days. It’s a nightmare.”

Liz has now enlisted the help of disabled children’s charity Newlife in her bid to buy the chair.

Stephen Morgan, Head of Charity Operations at Newlife said: “We are calling on companies, groups and individuals to be a hero and donate to help Jack get the chair he needs so he can be comfortable and pain free.

“We have dozens of applications every day and while we want to help as many children as we can, we do need help to do this.

“That is why we are appealing to people in Essex to help Jack.”

To help or donate visit www.newlifecharity.co.uk/essex, email local@newlifecharity.co.uk or call 01543462777