LESS than a fortnight ago Otis Bennett could not go cycling with his older brother because of his rare chromosome disorder.

Now, thanks to the support of a Didcot charity, the three-year-old who cannot walk, talk or eat can get out on a new, specially adapted trike with his friends and family.

Mum Samantha said: “Otis was very excited when he got put into the trike, he really enjoyed it. It gives him a whole new vision of the world – he is doing something that is so normal to many children.”

Otis was born with a rare disorder which means about 68 genes are missing from his third chromosome, and he has to be be tube-fed directly into his stomach.

Mrs Bennett said her son, who is in a wheelchair, can shuffle along the ground, but she does not know when he will be able to walk or talk.

Mrs Bennett added: “It is unknown if or when Otis will achieve milestones and therefore we cherish every milestone.

“He cannot speak, he cannot walk and he cannot eat, but he can sit unaided.”

Mrs Bennett and her husband of eight years, Stefun, both from Chilton, heard about the special Tomcat trikes for children with special needs, and had the firm come in to assess Otis.

However, when they realised they could not afford the £2,500 kit on their own the Changing Lives shop in Didcot’s Broadway, which gives grants to good causes, stepped in to help.

The 33-year-old, who is Otis’ full-time carer and a freelance sign language interpreter, said: “I popped in to see them and they basically picked up the phone and ordered the trike straightaway – it was amazing. It was wonderful, I was very emotional. I cried because it’s very, very hard to get things for children with special needs and it costs a lot more money.”

The charity ordered Otis a Tomcat Fizz trailer trike, which can be pushed by his parents, or adapted so Otis can pedal it when he is able to.

When the trike arrived on Tuesday last week Mrs Bennett said her son was delighted and has now been out on it with his five-year-old brother Jago.

She added: “He was just so happy and obviously enjoys it.

“Changing Lives has changed his life. Now he can go out with his brother and go for a cycle ride.”

Lisa Sammons, one of the managers at Changing Lives, was delighted to hear Otis was so pleased with his trike.

She said: “It’s great to hear we have made such a difference – we do anything we can to make anyone’s life a little easier.”

Changing Lives, based in Lower Broadway, offers grants to organisations and individuals in need within a 10-mile radius.

It was set up by Valerie Prior in 2013.