YOUNGSTERS don’t usually cheer the pulling down of the Christmas trees - signifying the end of the festive period.

But for eight-year-old Oliver Sharman these Christmas trees could bring about a real positive life change.

The festive fir recycling collection by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has helped raise almost £2,000 towards the cost of an operation that could help make the youngster’s life with cerebral palsy easier.

Oliver’s family have now made a heartfelt plea for help in raising the final £8,000 for his surgery which needs to be found within the next ten days.

The Hove youngster was born nine weeks premature and at 18 months was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and told he would never be able to walk unaided.

An operation called Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy could help him to defy doctors’ predictions.

But because it is not routinely available on the NHS, the family have to pay £47,000 for the operation and two years of rehabilitation.

Friends, family and strangers have all pulled together to help get close to the total with cake sales, fundraising walks, runs and skips, sponsored t-shirts and massage events.

The Christmas tree collection was so successful after it featured in The Argus that the fire service had to ask residents not to offer any more because they were overwhelmed.

Organiser Scott Saunders said Brighton firm Synergy helped devise the best route for him and his firefighter colleagues to take to collect all 300 donated trees from around the city while delivery firm TNT donated a truck and two staff to help with collections.

The family still needs to find an additional £8,000 with the clock ticking down ahead of the operation next month.

Mother Yasemin Sharman, 48, said: “We desperately need help in the next ten days.

“The Christmas tree collection has been great, not all events get that level of response which has moved us closer to the target.

“The operation is life changing, there are children who were told they would never walk or are now running, dancing and using bicycles.

“When we were told he would never walk independently or unaided I didn’t accept that and I have given up my career to learn sports therapy, to learn acupuncture, and I work with Oliver every day for hours.

“Oliver is of the same mind as we are, he wants to walk, if he falls down he gets back up again.”

If you can help visit oliversharman.com