FUNDRAISERS have raised £298 to help a poorly baby who is sick up to 20 times a day.

Little Bobby Griffin, aged one, from Oakdale, is fed through a tube 24-hours-a-day and has up to 10 hospital visits a month with mum, Leanne, due to being diagnosed with Chromosome 14q deletion syndrome.

Dad, Jamie, says that the condition affects just 12 children in the UK, while Bobby also suffers from gastroesophageal reflux disease, which causes the sickness.

Sammie Coyle, who works at Reef Hair and Beauty on Commercial Road, organised a raffle to fundraise for Bobby, to help buy him some specialist equipment. She said: “We just wanted to fundraise for Bobby as we know his mum very well.

“I am really pleased with how much we raised and would like to thank all our friends and customers. I think it’s just opened everyone’s eyes to how lucky we are to have our health and it has also raised awareness of Bobby’s condition.”

Mum, Leanne, said: “We had no idea that Sammie had organised this for us, and it was a nice surprise. With the money we bought Bobby a Squiggle Mat, which has velcro sections to hold the baby up, because he has very low muscle tone and cannot sit up by himself.”

The rest of the money, Leanne said, went on a special car seat, to enable both her and Jamie to lift Bobby and his pumps more easily out of the car.

Dad, Jamie said: “Although the doctors don’t know how he will be in the future, they have told us to expect a degree of learning and physical disabilities.

“We have been told to expect that he may need walking frames, some kind of head support, special seating to use around the house and a wheelchair, which will be the most expensive thing.

“I want to do some kind of fundraising event for him later this year, but only once we know what we need to raise money for.

“We would just like to thank Sammie and everyone at Reef, as well as their customers and our family and friends.”