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Family appeal for DIY-SOS style help to transform dangerous garden for disabled youngster with 'shaky eye' syndrome

An epic transformation of a disabled youngsters garden will start tomorrow, and the family have issued an eleventh-hour plea for help.

One-year-old Danny McDougall has an incurable eye condition that causes his eyes to constantly shake.

Diagnosed at just five months old with nystagmus, parents Carley and Darren McDougall from Singleton, say constant involuntary eye movements leave him visually impaired and with virtually no depth perception.

Mum Carley, 35, said: "The doctors’ diagnosis was so bleak, they basically said ‘we don’t know if he’s going to be blind or has a brain tumour’ and we came away not knowing at all what was going to happen.

Carley and Danny are hoping for help to transform the garden
Carley and Danny are hoping for help to transform the garden

"He can’t navigate things properly because his depth perception is so off and he’s constantly falling over or into things, which is dangerous because any knock to the head can make his condition much worse.

"It’s hard because it's something he cannot control and there’s no cure.

"He will probably never drive and will struggle crossing the road or navigating curbs. I just keep thinking that because of his depth perception and visual impairment, he will never be able to find his friends in the playground."

The McDougalls are hoping to transform their back garden into a safe place for Danny to play by staging a makeover along the lines of those carried out by BBC programme DIY SOS.

Carley and Darren McDougal with son Danny in their garden
Carley and Darren McDougal with son Danny in their garden

In the show, the team issue a call to arms and recruit friends, family and local tradespeople to help transform the lives of families across Britain.

The McDougalls, who have lived in their Singleton Hill home for nine years are appealing for builders, workers, labourers or the green-fingered to help them revamp their garden into somewhere Danny will be safe.

The current layout is too dangerous for the disabled one-year-old but health professionals have said it could provide a great place to develop his sight.

The youngster is also incredibly sensitive to sunlight and used to wince every time he went outside but now, thanks to new glasses, he can go outside.

Carley and Darren McDougal and son Danny who has Shaky Eye Syndrome and daughter Saffron
Carley and Darren McDougal and son Danny who has Shaky Eye Syndrome and daughter Saffron

Danny’s grandmother, Patti McDougall, said she had bought a fair amount of the necessary materials for the conversion but now the family are appealing for more help.

She said: "We’re not asking for a freebie but just someone who can do the work well and as cheap as possible.

"My son, boyfriend and I are all willing to attempt the decking but we’re looking for someone to take charge with advice or come along to order us about. Tea and cakes would be plentiful!"

The team will start tomorrow and will work over the weekend. To offer your support call Darren on 07876822388.

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