FEARLESSLY casting aside the sticks he uses to walk, a brave six-year-old with cerebral palsy scrambled to the front of the stage to star in his school nativity.

There was barely a dry eye in the house when Elliot Gower took centre stage to sing a solo performance of Away In A Manger at the St Katharine's CE Primary School in Southbourne.

At just two years old, Elliot was diagnosed with CP spastic diplegia, leaving him unable to walk unaided and with an uncomfortable tightness in his legs.

One parent in the audience, Ian Whiteley, said: “He is such a determined young fellow and it was an extremely touching and moving moment. He discarded the sticks and propelled himself forward on his knees. He then climbed onto the chair with the help of a teacher and started singing.

“It was such an unexpected moment and he sang beautifully. Lots of people were crying in the audience.”

His parents Morwenna and James have launched the Operation Elliot appeal, hoping to raise £66,300 for a life-changing operation which could enable him to walk completely unaided for the first time.

St Katharine's has already raised £1,000 as part of the ongoing campaign which would enable him to receive a selective dorsal rhizotomy at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London.

Elliot’s father James said: “We are very proud and the performance brought a tear to my eye. He enjoys performing on the stage and has absolutely no stage fright which amazes me.”

To support the appeal visit justgiving.com/operationelliot Cheques can be made payable to Tree of Hope with Operation Elliot marked on the back.