A FUND to raise money for a vital operation which will allow a Cwmbran youngster to walk has passed the halfway stage.

Seven-year-old Ethan Jolosa, who has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, needs a £40,000 operation and his family have been raising money since May this year.

In the first three months they raised £16,000, and as of Wednesday afternoon, the total had reached £23,536.48 at their JustGiving page.

A bucket collection at Rodney Parade on Tuesday night raised £800 for the fund.

Staff from the Colour Centre on Portland Street, Newport, carried collecting buckets at the Newport County home game to Ebbsfleet United, encouraging people to donate to Ethan’s Wish to Walk.

Ethan was the team mascot on Tuesday night and met the team in the dressing room.

Kayleigh Jones from the Colour Centre said they have collecting tins in stores across South Wales and will soon be giving away tickets to a sell-out One Direction concert to raise money for the fund.

The company has raised more than £2,280 for Ethan and hopes to eventually raise £10,000.

It is also running a prize draw to win £200 pounds worth of designer wallpaper and £100 worth of paint.

Anyone who donates £1 via the firm’s website will be entered into a draw. Donors need to enter the code ‘WPC’ in the comments box before their message for Ethan.

A draw will be made on October 17, but donations after October 16 will not be counted.

Visit thecolourcentre.co.uk for more details.