A YOUNG boy who was saved from certain death in the Indian earthquake by a team of rescuers from Okehampton-based Rapid UK could soon be coming to Britain for the fitting of a new limb.
Thanks to a local fundraising appeal, £12,000 has been raised to bring 10-year-old Parth Pradip Joshi to the UK and director of Rapid, Graham Payne, is currently in communication with Parth's father to arrange a date.
Mr Payne said the response from local people to the appeal had been overwhelming and he wanted to say a big thank-you to all of them.
'We have attempted to thank personally as many people as possible and I apologise to those who have not received a response,' he said. 'I would also like to say a special thank you to the people who made very generous anonymous donations.'
Members of Rapid UK, who were part of the international rescue team involved in locating and rescuing survivors from the wreckage of one of India's worst earthquakes in January, grew very attached to Parth after spending nine hours easing him from tons of rubble.
The plight of the little boy, who had to have his leg amputated, also touched the hearts of local people who heard how he had laid in pitch black for nearly four days, buried in rubble next to his dead younger brother and mother, who also later died in the rescue attempt.
An Oxfordshire company has offered to pay for a prosthetic leg for Parth and he will need to make at least six trips to the UK until he is 18 for new fittings.
Mr Payne said hopefully visas and passports would be obtained shortly with arrival in the UK possibly towards the end of May.
He said Parth was recovering very well from his traumatic rescue and was receiving ongoing treatment for other injuries he had sustained, apart from the loss of a limb.
Rapid UK responds to disasters all over the world and has also set up and trained teams of rescuers in such countries as Spain, France, Turkey and Peru but this is the first time it has become involved on a personal level.
Mr Payne said it was lovely to be able to help Parth but he felt this would be a one-off.
'We are not really geared up for this sort of thing but we are chuffed to bits that we can do something to give this young boy the opportunity of a much better future,' he said.
'Parth is a big cricket fan so we hope to take him to Lords or The Oval whilst he is in England and bring him down to the Westcountry.'
Money is still coming in for the appeal and any excess will be put into a trust fund for Parth.