A TEENAGE boy from East Cornwall who has been virtually housebound for the past two years desperately needs a new powered wheelchair so he can get out and about and gain some independence.

Jonathon Inkin, 16 and from Callington, has a degenerative muscle wasting condition called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, has metal rods in his spine and is currently waiting for surgery to correct a dislocated hip.

Statutory services have given him a basic powered wheelchair to get around in but this is designed largely for indoor use and Jonathon struggles to negotiate local cobbled and potholed streets.

Most importantly, the wheelchair does not offer a high level of comfort or have the hi-tech suspension Jonathon needs to stop him experiencing excruciating jolts of pain as he bumps along.

His mother Becky Inkin said: 'I don't think Jonathon has ever had an NHS wheelchair that has been comfortable. He has a pressure sore following spinal surgery and can only sit in this wheelchair for short periods so he spends a lot of time in a recliner chair.

'He will only sit in the wheelchair when he needs to go to hospital so he has become virtually housebound.'

After waiting months only to be told statutory services would not provide the equipment Jonathon needs, his occupational therapist referred the family to leading UK children's disability charity Newlife Foundation.

Newlife has funded 61 equipment grants totalling £149,406 for babies, children and young people in Cornwall and is now looking to provide the £12,800 wheelchair for Jonathon.

Becky added: 'Jonathon just finds it too painful to be in the wheelchair so he rarely goes out since he had spinal surgery in December 2012.

'He was able to trial the new equipment and immediately whizzed off round the garden; it has much better suspension and was much more comfortable. Getting this wheelchair will make a huge difference not only to Jonathon but to his father and me as well.'

Newlife chief executive Sheila Brown said: 'Demand on our practical support services is growing. We awarded 33 percent more equipment grants around the UK in 2013/14 than the previous year — this totalled £2,088,105; as a result, we are increasingly calling on "local heroes" to help fund vital specialist equipment for children in their own areas.'

If you would like to donate or raise money to help fund the hi-tech wheelchair for Jonathon, the Newlife community fundraising team can be contacted on 0800 988 4640 (free from UK landlines).

Any individual or organisation thinking of running a fundraising event is asked to contact the team, who can offer support and guidance.

Newlife operates a social enterprise business which covers the costs of its core services. Because of this the charity guarantees that 100% of all monies donated or fundraised will be used to fund the equipment for Jonathon.

Any surplus money raised will be used to provide equipment for other disabled and terminally ill children in Cornwall.

To find out more about the range of equipment grant and loan support services offered by the charity, call the Newlife Nurse Helpline on 0800 902 0095 (free from UK landlines) or email [email protected]">[email protected]