Generous shoppers have given two parents a chance to help their children suffering from a rare syndrome.

Delighted - Kay Price, left, and twins Alex and Lucy with Asda staff Fleur Loftus, Pearl Lewis, Sonia prior, Kath Ward and Bernard Holiday Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

Their kindness has more than exceeded Kay Price's expectations when she wrote to Asda, in Shoebury, asking for help.

Her children, Alex and Lucy, both 21 months old, were diagnosed in January with a genetic disorder called Joubert Syndrome, which causes underdevelopment in the part of the brain that controls motor functions, leading to co-ordination problems.

Mrs Price, from Beach Avenue, Leigh, was hoping the Shoebury store could help raise money to send Alex, who is more heavily affected by the syndrome, to a special centre in Chester.

But the shop was so moved by her story that they decided to raise enough money to send both twins to the centre.

Within a week, Asda shoppers - helped by donations from Southend firefighters and the Royal Artillery - raised £3,000, which is enough to send Alex and Lucy to the brain injury rehabilitation and development centre in Chester for a weekend.

There, staff can devise tailor-made programmes for the toddlers to help kickstart their development.

Published Tuesday August 10, 2004

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