A MUM is determined to thank a charity who stepped in to support her and her daughter.

Kirsty Hilton found out after her 20 week scan that her daughter Coco would be born with a cleft lip and palate.

She contacted the CLAPA charity who came to see her the very next day and have helped her to understand what to expect and the treatment that Coco, now five months, would need.

“The charity has helped me a lot especially through the rough times. Without them I wouldn’t have known what a cleft lip was never mind what to expect when Coco was born,” said Kirsty, of Hulme Road, Leigh.

"When I first found out I didn’t what to expect, but the charity told me all about the different kinds of clefts that can occur and what can happen.

“They have taught me what to expect when feeding her and they will help her with her speech therapy. She has had one operation already to fix her lip and at the end of August she will have another one because she was born without a palate.

“Because of this she will need to learn to speak differently but apart from that she won’t need any more treatment until she is about six and the charity will continue to support us until she is 20 years old.”

Kirsty completed a sponsored walk around Heaton Park accompanied by Coco, her five-year-old daughter Chloe and her sister Louise Hilton.

“It went really well. It was only a short walk because it was for children too but I’m hoping to do much more for the charity like bag packing or having a collection in a supermarket,” said the 29-year-old delivery driver.

She has so far raised £600 and has won support from Leigh MP Andy Burnham.

To donate, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/louisehilton81 or text COP099 to 70070 to donate £1.