A SOUTH Lakeland boy born at just 26 weeks was given the holiday of a lifetime when a children's charity invited him on a trip to the United States.

12-year-old Robert Park, from Hutton Roof, near Kirkby Lonsdale, spent ten days in Orlando, Florida, with 191 other children thanks to Dreamflights.

The organisation has been providing holidays for children with serious illnesses or disabilities, without their parents, for 31 years.

Robert, who was selected following a nomination by his paediatrician, visited attractions such as the Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios and Sea World.

Robert, along with twin sister Emma, was born 26 weeks premature at Lancaster Royal Infirmary. They were moved to the Liverpool Women's Hospital where, two weeks later, Emma tragically died.

After a stay in Liverpool and then more time at Lancaster, he was eventually allowed home. But having suffered a brain haemorrhage shortly, he was left with moderate brain damage, partial loss of hearing, weakness to his left side and processing problems.

His mum Alex said it had given her son, who attends The Cottage at Settlebeck School in Sedbergh and requires round-the-clock supervision, a greater sense of independence.

"He had an absolutely amazing time," she said. "He got far more from it than he would have from a normal family holiday.

"I think it will have made him more confident and a bit more independent. He managed a week with other people and it shows he can do more things when he's away from home, it will definitely have helped him."

Dreamflights provided him with an escort, Jamie Moon, throughout the holiday and were constantly on hand to reassure Mrs Park and her husband, Philip. Following her son's experience, Mrs Park was full of praise for the charity.

"Any questions or concerns I had, they already had a solution for," she said. "I can't praise them enough, they're phenomenal. Everything they do is all about the kids.

"It was nerve-racking to start with, but from the first moment we were called by them we were completely put at ease and we're honoured Robert was given a place."