Life-changing Christmas present for young Wolves fan

Four-year-old Jessie-Leigh Smith was born with the condition and her parents have been trying to raise £16,000 for an operation which could help her walk.

They had raised £8,000 themselves – and Wolves' players were so touched by Jessie-Leigh when she was a mascot for a game against Barnsley in September that they decided to stump up the rest of the cash between them.

Wolves fan Jessie-Leigh and mother and father Clare and Chris, who are from Low Hill, received the most welcome of Christmas donations at Wolves' training ground yesterday – and the whole thing came as a complete surprise.

Mr Smith said: "I had no idea whatsoever. I turned up, the television cameras were there and I thought it was about speculation to do with new players coming in!

"Then the players dropped £8,000 on us. It's absolutely incredible, I was very emotional.

"The money means we can contact Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital now and get the go-ahead, make the payment and they'll do the operation as soon as possible.

"It's a Christmas present and a half! All the players are fantastic as well.

"She was mascot in September and she met all of them, we all had a chat and Danny Batth had just told me they've been working on this for a while.

"I can't even show these guys how much it means to us. Words aren't enough."

The NHS stopped funding the operation Jessie-Leigh needs – a spinal dorsal rhizotomy operation – saying it couldn't be proved that it was cost of clinically effective.

Skipper Batth said the dream was that Jessie-Leigh would return as a mascot and walk out with the players.

"We met Jessie-Leigh when she was a mascot at the Barnsley game and myself and a few of the lads chatted to her dad after the game," he added.

"The players got together a few days afterwards and just started thinking about if there was anything we could do to help with Jessie-Leigh's situation.

"I put it to the lads in the dressing room and we all put some money into a pot and here we are now presenting a cheque and hopefully improving things for the family just before Christmas.

"Jessie-Leigh is just a little girl who doesn't know any different. And I think all the lads wanted to come together to try and do something which might help ease her pain or even help her to walk.

"Jessie-Leigh has already been carried out as a mascot and now the hope is that one day she may be able to come back and do it again and this time be walking out with the lads."

Mr Smith is Jessie-Leigh's full time carer and has led the fundraising campaign, with the backing of several family members and friends who have offered to take part in and organise a host of fundraisers as well as donating cash.

Wolves boss Paul Lambert said the players had made an 'incredible gesture'.

"This was something that had started off before I was at the club and the lads had decided they wanted to do something," he added.

"When they mentioned it to me I just helped them get it over the line but when you look at it, it is an incredible gesture.

"Coming together as a squad I think it is a fantastic thing they have done for such a great cause as helping Jessie-Leigh."