Long Bennington's Oliver Chappel is celebrating his successful cavernous malformation surgery with a trip of a lifetime to Disney Land Paris

A child who could not walk or talk has survived life threatening surgery and is celebrating with a trip to Disney Land, Pairs.

Oliver Chappell, 5, who suddenly fell ill on August 28 2017, was at risk of losing his life after facing cavernoma.

It is a hereditary condition and consists of cluster's of abnormal blood vessels in the brain.

The Long Bennington resident, who has faced countless hospital trips over the last year was told he had a 0% chance his condition would improve.

But one year on Oliver is able to travel again and he is heading to Disney Land for Bonfire Night.

"The doctors at Queens Medical Centre said there was a 0% chance his condition would improve, but he has gone from strength to strength," said Oliver's father, Matthew Chappell.

"He has handled everything far better than myself and Emma (Ollie's mother), but having said that, Emma has been such a strong women.

"Ollie had a 12 hour surgery and against all odds he came out of it in a better condition.

"He is doing really well now."

Despite Ollie's successful surgery, a small percentage of the cavernoma remains intact and can still cause life changing damages.

"There is still 10% of the cavernoma left as it is still attached to the white fibres," explained Matthew.

"The danger is that if the white fibres are touched in the wrong way, he is at risk of becoming paralysed.

"As he has suffered a brain injury, his character has been altered and that is the case with all brain injuries, they can alter someone's character.

"He does get a lot angrier now and struggles to concentrate.

"It is upsetting because he gets so frustrated at school because he feels nobody has listened to him.

"But he has done so well because at one point we were scared he was not going to be coming home.

"And because of the brilliant work by the nurses at QMC in the brain injury ward, we have nominated them for the Daisy International Nurse Awards."

The couple who got married last weekend also thanked Sharrick's Traditional Fish and Chip bar owner Richard Potts, who the family developed a strong friendship with after moving into his property.

"Richard gave us a chance in Long Bennington, at a time when we really wanted to move to the village," said Matthew, who currently works in the Co-Op store in Long Bennington.

"We lived above Richard's shop for about seven years and throughout that time, he was amazing to us.

"We are very good friends now and our families are close."

Local companies, spearheaded by Sharrick's, helped raised over £5000 through an 80s themed fundraiser night and Oliver's just giving page, which is now closed.

There was also a raffle and an auction to help further the funding for the families celebratory trip to Disney Land.

The newly-wed couple and their two children, Connor, 10, and Ollie, are now looking forward to a positive future and their trip to Disney, which they have called a once in a lifetime trip.

"They have never been out of the country, and now they are going first-class to Disney World with the best tickets and best accommodation you can get," said, Mr Potts, of Sharrick's Fish and Chip Bar.

"I am driving the family to the train station to wave them goodbye.

"It is incredible for their family and I am so pleased for them all."