Helston schoolboy Josh Mills was due to undergo a life-changing operation in Bristol yesterday that could finally see his dreams of being able to walk come true.

The seven-year-old pupil of St Michael's Primary School has cerebral palsy affecting both his arms and legs.

Yesterday's operation at Frenchay Hospital is due to remove tightened tissue, which will hopefully mean he will one day walk further distances on crutches and even small distances unaided.

Happily his family now has one less thing to worry about after being told they will receive £20,000 of funding for aftercare treatment after all.

Last week the Packet reported that Jo and Paul Mills could be faced with almost the entire bill for Josh's physiotherapy, after promised money looked in doubt.

An appeal hearing was expected to take place today, Wednesday - meaning Josh would have had the operation without knowing whether he would be able to receive the necessary aftercare.

However, just a day after the Helston Packet featured the family's plight on its front page last Wednesday, Jo received the news that the commission had changed its mind.

It has been agreed that one physiotherapy session a week will now be funded - without the need for the decision to go through a panel.

This means the family now only has to find the remaining £7,000 - a figure that the Packet's Footprints campaign is well on the way to reaching.

She said: “I can heave a big sigh of relief now. It's great. We are back to where we were, which is brilliant.”

No one from the NHS had responded as the Packet went to press.