Annie Neaves is looking forward to a wheely good new year!

The seven-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer was given a gleaming new electric wheelchair by generous pub-goers.

Regulars at the Melrose pub in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff, raised £2,800 during a year of charity events to help Annie.

Annie, of Shakespeare Drive, Westcliff, was born prematurely leaving her with hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

The new wheelchair will give her more independence said grateful mum-of-four Denise.

Denise, 33, said: "Annie is severely disabled and only has use of one of her limbs.

"This chair will make such a difference because it means she can do what she wants to.

"When she was wheeling herself she could only go a certain distance and when she went out with me there had to be two of us because I've also got a 14-month-old daughter."

Picture, top: Wheels in motion - Annie Neaves gives Jenny Fellows from the Melrose pub a hug.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.