A Silsden boy is off to the United States for a life-changing operation next month – thanks to a massive fundraising effort.

In the summer, six-year-old Evan Whitton’s family started raising the £45,000 they needed for him to go to the States and have an operation to help him walk.

So successful was their fundraising that they have almost doubled their target, which will allow his mum and dad, Andrew and Lynda, who both work for Skipton Building Society, sister Maya, eight, and brother, Sam, three, to travel with him when he goes for the operation on January 27.

Evan, a pupil at Aire View Infant School, is expected to be in hospital for around a month.

The cash will also allow Evan to be able to have a follow-up operation and physiotherapy.

Mrs Whitton said: “You realise what friends you have around you. It’s brought the community together, like my grandparents used to say, ‘the way it used to be’.

Evan was born prematurely with complications and at 14 months old was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

He currently gets around using a walking frame and a wheelchair for longer distances.

The treatment he will be undergoing at the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri – one of the leading children’s hospitals in the States – is not available on the NHS. The surgery will aim to correct Evan’s spastic diplegia and allow him to walk.

The family found out in July that Evan was suitable for surgery and immediately set about raising the £45,000 required.

Evan’s Big Journey Fundraiser was launched with the whole community rallying to help out.

Almost every weekend, there has been some fundraising event from coffee mornings to sponsored walks.

Last week, Evan was given the honour of turning on the Christmas lights in Silsden.

“People say there’s no community spirit any longer, but everybody’s wanted to be involved and wanted to contribute, even if it was only a little bit,” said Mrs Whitton.

Mr Whitton added: “It’s been a whirlwind of activity. There’s been something organised almost every weekend since the start.

“We’ve tried not to let it disrupt home life, but people have given up so much of their time, we’ve been trying to go to every single event.”

With all the fundraising, the family have had little time to think about Evan’s fast-approaching operation.

“Evan’s Big Journey has had a life of its own and now that it’s at an end we can concentrate on the operation and what it will mean for Evan,” said Mr Whitton.

Mrs Whitton added: “Evan’s always exceeded expectations. No one said he would be able to do handwriting, but now he joins up as well as any six-year-old.”

The extra money will pay for a second operation to lengthen Evan’s heel cord, which will help flatten his feet.

It will also cover private physiotherapy – which would not be available on the NHS.

Mrs Whitton said words could not express how grateful the family was.

“Skipton Building Society has been very supportive and we’re lucky to have such a big audience of people who have helped out,” she said.

l Pupils at Hothfield Junior School in Silsden took part in a welly walk around the school field and raised £2,500 for Evan.

Hothfield class 4W pupil Aidan Barrett wrote this report to summarise the event: “Pupils at HJS did a welly walk at the school field. They did it to raise money for Evan, who needs a total of £45,000 to get the money for an operation to help him walk again. He has to go to America to a specialist hospital.

“The children tried to raise as much money as they could.

“I interviewed a year four pupil Adam Ali who said: ‘I enjoyed it very much and I was very excited to get 16 laps.’ “Evan received his cheque on Friday and was very happy because he nearly has the total amount.”