A TODDLER who doctors said would never walk has taken her first steps thanks to special treatment paid for through crowdfunding.

Liyla Cooper, from Droitwich, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a complex disorder which primarily affects the nervous system, with sufferers usually unable to walk or talk.

The two-year-old's parents Monika and Shaun Cooper launched a crowdfunding campaign earlier this year which has raised nearly £2,000 to pay for private treatment in a bid to defy doctors.

Mrs Cooper, 30, said her daughter took her first steps last week and is growing in confidence.

"It's absolutely amazing, we never thought we would get there. Obviously the physio is working."

Liyla's therapist visits her nursery once a week and has told her parents she will learn to walk properly and completely unaided if she perseveres.

"She absolutely loves it, she giggles [during the sessions]. She’s non-verbal so she just moves backwards with her hands out because she wants them to let her start walking. They’ve said definitely she will walk, she just needs to keep going."

Mrs Cooper, originally from Poland, said Liyla is currently working on her posture as she "leans back too much" which prevents her from walking properly for longer spells.

Following the original diagnosis, Liyla had private physiotherapy sessions while in Poland which her mum said had a positive impact.

However, on the NHS, she can only have sessions every few months, but Mrs Cooper felt this would hinder her chances of walking on her own.

Following the sessions in Poland, which cost £25 each and used the Vojta method, Liyla was able to “shuffle her bum” and could walk with a posture frame which her mum said had “given her independence”.

The JustGiving campaign has funded sessions every week since February, costing around £97 each time, using the more advanced Bobath treatment.

Mr and Mrs Cooper had originally taken Liyla to the doctors as she didn’t seem to be developing at the same rate as their first child, Oscar, six, had.

“The doctors wouldn’t listen, at first,” Monika said. “They asked if she was my first child. But I knew something wasn’t right. I know that each child develops differently but it didn’t seem right.”

But little Liyla began “throwing herself backwards to get into bed” so doctors eventually agreed to send her to a specialist.

“He took one look at her and said there’s something wrong with her,” said Monika.

Liyla then had a series of tests and was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome over a year ago. Doctors also said that there’s an 80 per cent chance Liyla will develop epilepsy.

See justgiving.com/crowdfunding/monika-cooper to donate. See worcesternews.co.uk for a video.