A GRANDMOTHER is appealing for help to buy a car lift for her disabled grandson.

Without the device 13-year-old Clifford Edwards, who lives with grandparents Kath, 58, and John, 64, in Mallows Green, Harlow, cannot get from his wheelchair into the family car.

Clifford suffers from muscular dystrophy, an hereditary disease which leads to a progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles.

Although he was born with the condition it was only diagnosed when he reached the age of five.

Mrs Edwards said: "He kept falling over and not putting his hands out to save himself. That was when we knew something was wrong."

Mrs Edwards said neither she nor husband John, who is recovering from a heart attack, can lift Clifford into the car any more.

"We've got a hoist in the house to get him out of the bath and into bed but if we want to take him anywhere there's no way of getting him into the car."

This has meant that Clifford can no longer go swimming in Walton-on-the-Naze, which is the nearest pool that he can use.

Mrs Edwards added: "Even when we go shopping we can't take him. And he hasn't had a holiday since early last year. We also have a job getting him to the hospital."

Although there's no medication to treat his condition, Clifford needs to go to hospital for six-monthly check-ups. He also receives physiotherapy, particularly on his arms.

The device, costing £2,000, clips under the dashboard and would lift Clifford into the passenger seat.