Cash pours in to help restore Amelia's garden trashed by vandals

Amelia Qadeer, who is 12 and has severe complex needs, has spent months in hospital fighting for her life.

But while her mother Shabnam kept a vigil by her bedside, heartless vandals smashed up the rear garden of her home on Barnstone Vale and even poisoned the trees with a corrosive liquid.

The garden had been created by famous horticulturist Alan Titchmarsh for his ITV show, Love Your Garden, which was filmed last summer and screened in December.

The family had been recommended to the show by their friend Kath Howitt, who launched the fundraiser to help restore the garden.

Kath said: "It was just disgusting, and I just do not understand the mentality of anyone to do something as cruel.

"As soon as Shabnam saw it she phoned me and was really upset. With Amelia being in hospital she has enough on her plate so I told her to leave it to me."

Setting a target of £300, more than £470 has now been collected, with more donations to come.

Wakefield landscape company, KH Designs, has kindly agreed to carry out the work free of charge and the money raised will be used through the Just Giving page will be spent on buying new plants and trees.

Wheelchair-bound Amelia suffers from cerebral palsy and progressive intestinal failure.

But she suffered a cardiac arrest in February and was on a ventilator for two weeks.

Having pulled through, Amelia then had to undergo major surgery after her bowel became twisted. The doctors have since been forced to remove 80 per cent of her bowel, which means she will never be able to eat regular food.

It means Amelia now has to be fed intravenously through a central line into her chest, making life even more difficult for her and Shabnam, who has been undergoing training to administer the nutrients the youngster requires.

Amelia remains in hospital.

Kath said: "She is going to be pretty much housebound when she gets home, so the garden will be more important than ever."

To donate to the cause, click here.