MORE than £3,000 has been raised for the For Luca appeal to help a five-year-old to walk.

Local recruitment company Acorn raised the money to help Luca Williams walk again after he lost both his lower legs to meningococcal septicaemia in 2012. All of the money raised will go to cover the expense of prosthetics that Luca will need during his lifetime.

As well as losing both legs, Luca, who was initially given just a three per cent chance of survival, also lost a significant amount of skin, muscle and tissue to the disease.

Acorn, which held several events to raise the funds, including a charity ball, presented a cheque to Luca and his family at the company’s head office on the Celtic Springs Business Park in Newport.

Luca’s dad, Mo, said: “What has been done to support Luca has been amazing.

“Seeing so many people pull together to raise such a huge amount will make a big difference to Luca’s future.

“We cannot thank them enough.”

Mark Rudge, who ran the fundraising activity said: “Luca is such an inspirational little boy, who has been through so much at such a young age but still manages to keep smiling.

“We wanted to raise as much money as we could to help and we hope that the money raised will make a difference to Luca and his family.”