A SEVEN-year-old with cerebral palsy has spent years fighting against pain and limited movement.

Archie King, from West End, almost died at eight weeks due to an obstruction in his bowel, and had emergency surgery.

Three years later, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

But this Christmas will be “special” for Archie and his family, as he recently had a “life-changing” operation.

The condition meant his movement and coordination was affected, forcing him to tiptoe walk, wear a splint on his left leg, and have botox injections in his legs every three to four months to relieve stiffness in his muscles.

However, at the end of November, Archie had an operation to eliminate the pain and tightness he suffered with.

This means he will spend Christmas Day recovering at home with mum Stephanie, dad Christopher and little brother Avery.

Archie’s family launched a campaign, which was covered by the Echo early last year, to raise £60,000 to fund an operation called selective dorsal rhizotomy, which was not previously available on the NHS.

However, the NHS made the operation freely available halfway through fundraising.

The £34,000 raised has since gone towards the family’s travel and hotel costs, as well as Archie’s post-op physio.

Archie was given surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, which involved cutting some of the nerve fibres responsible for spasticity.

He has since spent almost one month recovering and having physio twice a day - but was able to come home just in time for Christmas.

Archie said: “I was nervous and scared, and in a lot of pain. But now I feel proud.”

His mum Stephanie said: “Archie was so brave, he just blew me away.

"He couldn’t even bear to look at himself before but now he thrives on it.

“It has been really hard. After the operation, when we first got the call, I could hear him crying and wailing as he was in so much pain. I just wanted to get in there."

She added: “This has been life-changing. For 18 months, the operation was all I could think about.

"I would ask, am I doing the right thing? There are risks with the operation - he could have become paralysed.

“Now that I’ve done something to stop his pain, I can’t describe that feeling.

“This Christmas will be pretty special. Archie getting his new legs for Christmas has been the best feeling.

"Our family has sacrificed a lot of time with each other too so it will be the icing on the cake to be able to spend it all together.”

To follow Alfie's recovery, visit facebook.com/archiecpandme/.