An appeal has been launched to send a disabled youngster to America for specialist treatment.

Jordan Weaver, six, suffers from severe epilepsy, severe autism and has learning difficulties.

His mother Sam, of Cattermole Close, Clacton, wants to raise about £6,000 to send him to a special centre in Connecticut, America which could help him.

One of their activities is to let autistic children swim with dolphins, which has been shown to encourage communication skills.

Sam, 27, said: "Jordan can run about but he can't communicate and tell you what he wants. As Jordan has not really had much of a life - he's been in and out of a hospital for months on end - it has just been my aim to see him swimming with the dolphins."

Jordan's condition was diagnosed when he was six months old. He goes to the Windsor School in Clacton.

The base for autistic children offers them the chance to swim with dolphins as well as other forms of treatment. Sam has four other children, Josh, seven, Charlie, five, Chelsea, three and ten-month-old Jerome.

One of those people helping Sam raise the cash will be Diane Butcher, of Brightlingsea. She lost her son Mitchell through a cot death last year and since then has been raising funds for various groups.

Another of those helping out will be Chloe Stray, 27, of Clacton, who along with Karen Weaver, of Brightlingsea, and Diane, took part in a 2,000ft parachute jump on Sunday to raise money for the Foundation of the Study of Infant Death

Care assistant Diane has raised cash for the special care unit and children's ward at Colchester General Hospital and the Foundation of the Study of Infant Cot Death.

She now plans to turn her attention to raising money for Jordan. Sam heard about the special centre in Connecticut from television.

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