A little boy whose muscles have gradually deteriorated throughout his nine years could benefit from a "life-changing" drug that’s just been approved by the NHS.

"Superhero mad" Charlie Bolton has been a News Shopper regular after the community in Petts Wood helped raise around £40,000 for two wheelchairs since he was a toddler.

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Charlie, who lives in Bromley Common, has spinal muscular atrophy type two, a muscle wasting disease, and his family has been campaigning for the drug Spinraza to be NHS funded for the past two years.

Spinraza, injected into the spinal fluid every four months, can slow down the condition's progression and can return lost strength.

It has now been approved after lengthy negotiations and children in the UK could access the treatment in the coming months.

"We are so emotional, and this means the world," Charlie’s mum, Aimee, 34, told News Shopper.

Aimee and her son Charlie (Photo - 2017)

News Shopper:

"It won’t make him get up and walk but if it slows the progression, he will live a longer life. He might be able to lift his arm up and be stronger to push Lego.

"He has a special control for his Play Station and this drug will be life changing for small things we take for granted like feeding ourselves."

Aimee said her son had "been through hell" in his short life.

Charlie must be hoisted up and needs help with all personal care from cleaning to brushing his teeth.

He goes to Crofton School where he has a scribe who writes for him and Charlie is also reliant on adults to help feed him sometimes.

Aimee said the news about the drug has made her son "so happy" and she spoke of how proud she was of his resilience.

"He has lost so much ability, but he is such a happy easy-going boy," Aimee said. "He just deals with everything like all the hospital appointments.

"Sometimes he gets frustrated, but he knows this drug will give him a better quality of life. He has been through so much but get just gets on."

Aimee said the family will "always be so grateful" to shops and the people of Petts Wood who have been invaluable to Charlie over the years.

She added: "The help has been amazing. We have raised a lot for Charlie. but it wouldn’t have been possible without this support."

The family is unaware of how much the drug will eventually cost but Aimee is hopeful it will help give Charlie the life he deserves.