Staff at Glass Houghton’s Asda supermarket have set up the Strive For a Mile scheme to collect a mile of spare change from shoppers to help send 11-year-old Owen – who was left blind and partially deaf from complications following transplant surgery when he was five – on his dream trip to swim with dolphins.

Family, friends and generous Five Towns folk are rallying round to help raise cash for the holiday, which they hope could help his disabilities.

Mum Ruth, of Jardine Avenue, Featherstone, said: “It’s all escalated from the first event we had, it’s quite overwhelming. We’re looking at different costs and options but plan to go and swim with dolphins next year – Owen’s really excited.”

Owen, diagnosed with the severe heart condition cardiomyopathy when he was two, had to fight back from the brink of death when his body started to fail after the heart transplant.

Doctors still don’t know if the Sharlston Junior and Infant School pupil will lose his hearing completely.

Ruth added: “His hearing in one ear has deteriorated recently and he’s been having fits, so we’re waiting to see a specialist about that.

“But he is fine in himself and back at school, he just gets on with things.

“I’d to thank everybody who has helped us so far, they’ve been wonderful.”

Helen Sorrell, Asda events manager, said: “Owen’s courage is amazing and when we read about him in the Express after he won a champion children award, his story struck a special chord with us.

“We knew that we had to raise the money to make his dream of swimming with the dolphins come true – it would be a fabulous experience for him.

“Our customers are always fantastic supporters of our charity events and I’m sure they will rally round to give him this experience of a lifetime.”