A severely disabled boy's family are on an emotional mission to raise money for a specially-built bed.

Callum Jarvis, 10, a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, has been sleeping in a makeshift structure for his own safety since he almost strangled himself on the bars of his old bed.

But social services cannot provide the Dartford youngster with a £10,000 bed to replace the one crudely adapted with MDF sides and sponge padding.

So his family are attempting to stump up the money themselves - with the Messenger throwing its support behind them with the launch of our Support For Callum campaign.

Mum Kelly, 29, and grandmother Jean, 46, have been struggling to lift Callum in and out of his bed since they fitted it with wooden sides after he trapped his neck on the rails in 2006.

He now needs a bed that raises to hip level, with retractable sides and a hoist.

A West Kent PCT assessment concluded a special £10,000 bed would be perfect for Callum, but it has told them it can only provide him with a basic hospital-style bed.

Kelly, who lives in Ash Road, Dartford, with partner Barry Davidson, Callum and his three-year-old sister Emmy, said: "They assume that every child who is disabled needs the same type of equipment, but it's just not true.

"Callum's a very happy child, like any other 10-year-old, and he deserves better than a hospital bed he'll hurt himself on.

"He's the light of our lives and, like any parents, we want the best for him."

Grandmother Jean, who lives across the road with husband Chris, 58, said: "Callum is perfectly safe and cosy when he's in his current bed, but it's no good for us.

"Callum's an absolute ray of sunshine, but he's getting big and constantly lifting him out of the bed is killing me. We've got no other choice but to find the money."

If you can raise money for Callum's bed, call the newsroom on 01474 564 327.