A SEVEN-year-old from Lifton has completed a two-mile Countryfile Ramble for Children in Need, despite living with a debilitating condition.

Joshua Biddle, a Year 2 pupil at South Petherwin Primary School and who lives in Lifton with his family, completed a two-mile ramble at 10.30am on Saturday, November 3 along Bude Canal, starting at the Weir and taking him an hour and a half to walk into Bude. Amazingly, he only took one rest break, which he refused to do until he reached the half-way point!

Supporting Joshua was his little sister Hannah and his best friend from school, Ben, with his mum, and two other children, Ailla and Oscar, with their parents, who also attend South Petherwin Primary School. The school Senco, Miss Jo Wills, and his old LSA, Mrs Helen Masters, came along, plus he received great support from his dad, Haydon, mum Sarah and Granny and Gramps.

Joshua has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia), which was caused when he was born eight weeks early and suffered a lack of oxygen. At the age of four, he had SDR surgery, which, along with an intensive physio programme, has enabled him to learn to walk more freely — before the surgery, he scooted around using a kaye frame. Any sort of distance before this point, Joshua would have required the use of a wheelchair. Slowly, he has built up strength, which led to his incredible achievement in completing the walk.

Joshua was first inspired to fundraise for Children in Need by walking the two miles when he was encouraged to complete a personal challenge at Beavers, of which he is part of the 1st Lifton Beavers and is very enthusiastic about collecting badges!

Joshua had never even walked a mile before his walk on November 3, so parents Sarah and Haydon were a little apprehensive to start with — but Joshua decided on the challenge and his decision was final! His granny told Sarah and Haydon about the Countryfile Ramble, which led to them looking online at the Children in Need charity. Joshua then decided he would like to fundraise as part of his walk.

His fundraising page was set up, initially thinking £200 would be a huge target, but then the target goal quickly increased as the donations came rolling in. Now, Joshua has managed to raise an astonishing £2,275 as the Post went to press, making him the second highest fundraiser for the Countryfile Ramble.

Haydon and Sarah said: “We have been totally overwhelmed by the support and generosity of people who have sponsored him.

“As parents we are incredibly proud of Joshua. He is a very determined and resilient little boy. We believe that God is able to do immeasurably more than we can imagine, and what Joshua has accomplished is a testimony to this. To walk two miles has been such an answer to prayer.”