A LITTLE boy with a rare illness is the inspiration behind a team of firefighters’ mission to carry a stretcher between 10 stations in North Hampshire.

Six-year-old Oliver Witcomb has a brain condition called lissencephaly, which is a degenerative illness with poor prognosis – many children die before reaching 10-years-old.

Oliver, from Tadley, is unable to sit or stand unless supported, he has very little use of his limbs, hands or feet, suffers from uncontrollable epilepsy and has limited head control.

A GoFundMe page called Oliver’s Dream has been launched, with the hope of raising £30,000 to pay for equipment to help Oliver’s parents care for him at home.

His parents applied for a grant to provide a downstairs bedroom with shower facilities, hoisting equipment and easier access to their home, but the local authority will only fund a maximum of £30,000 towards the estimated £60,000 cost.

A team of 12 firefighters from Tadley Station heard about Oliver’s Dream and decided to help raise funds towards the target.

Sally Gould, watch manager, whose son is in the same class at school as Oliver’s brother, is taking part in the challenge, which will see the firefighters carry a stretcher, with a dummy on it, from Yateley Fire Station to Tadley Fire Station.

The team will visit 10 fire stations in total, including Hartley Wintney, Odiham, Basingstoke, Overton, Whitchurch and Kingsclere, covering a distance of around 55 miles, while carrying 50kilos in weight.

Mrs Gould said: “We are aiming to do it within 24 hours. Oliver’s family are local to the fire station, they live in Tadley. We saw the GoFundMe page and we always like to help out the local community. Something that is a big cause like this we thought we would do something to help.”

The 34-year-old mother-of-two said she is nervous about the challenge, adding: “It’s a big challenge. Not only is it a big personal challenge but it’s one that we want to complete to raise as much money for Oliver as we can.

“I’m a bit nervous and apprehensive. We don’t know what weather we will be facing and it will test our perseverance.”

Oliver’s Dream has so far raised more than £1,700.

The page says the equipment and changes to his home would “dramatically change Oliver’s family’s day-to-day life, making the essential care of Oliver much easier which is vital. This also gives him the indispensable time to be part of the family creating beautiful memories.”

The firefighters will start their challenge on Saturday, August 6.

To donate visit https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Tadley12 or to read Oliver’s full story visit https://www.gofundme.com/Oliver-s_Dream.