It was the end of just another ordinary day when Tony and Sally McNally tucked their little boy up in bed one night four years ago.

Oliver, who was then just two, had spent the day chattering along in his own form of baby language, and was ready for bed-time after a tiring day.

But, from that day onwards, little Oliver McNally has never uttered a word, confirming his parents' worst fears that something was very wrong with their young son.

Tony says: "We knew something wasn't quite right from the day Oliver was born.

"He was always lethargic and seemed quite limp, even from being eight or nine months old.

"But when he stopped speaking, we knew we had to find out what was wrong with him."

It was to take Tony and wife Sally another anxious 12 months before Oliver was finally diagnosed as having the rare Angelman Syndrome - a muscle defect and a form of autism.

Now six, Oliver can only walk with the aid of splints. He still can't speak properly and can only use gestures to make people understand what he wants.

Says Tony: "Oliver doesn't understand the meaning of words, but if he wants a drink he goes to the fridge - he's more or less built up his own sign language to get things across.

"Since he was diagnosed, he's undergone regular physio and speech therapy and he goes to Greenfields School in Idle where there are a lot of other children in a similar position to him.

"But we still don't know if his condition will ever really improve."

Oliver's illness has inevitably had a big impact on the lives of those around him.

Tony, 33, who works in the Bradford FC ticket office, says: "When Oliver was first diagnosed it was good to know what was finally wrong.

"But there's always the question, why us? "If it's your child it's happened to, it feels like there's a mountain on your shoulders.

"Because no-one can tell for sure whether Oliver will ever walk or talk, you have to take it a day at a time.

"I sometimes get choked when I see kids of Oliver's age being mascots at Bradford City and I always think, 'I wish Oliver could do that'.

"But it's not to be and you have to get on with life. You can never give up hope that his condition will improve."

And Tony has been so inspired by Oliver's brave struggle that he decided to do everything in his power to make his life better.

A couple of years ago, Tony and his friends got together to organise a series of fundraising events to buy a specially-adapted bike for Bradford's St Luke's hospital, which children with disabilities across the district are able to borrow as and when they want to help strengthen their muscles.

And last year, Tony, who lives in Lidget Green, launched a second campaign to raise £10,000 to take Oliver to Florida for dolphin treatment.

"I used to go into Bradford city centre and see people collecting for disabled children - I'd be the first to admit that I'd rarely put any money in the tins.

"But Oliver has been my inspiration. When it comes home to you, you begin to realise just how much these kids need and what a difference you can make.

"So far we've held discos and barbecues and other things like raffles in my local pub.

"People at Bradford City have also been great. They've been really understanding when I've had to nip out from work to collect money, and some of the players have given us autographed shirts to raffle.

"The fund-raising is still on-going and we're determined to carry on until we reach our target."

And despite his problems, Tony says that Oliver is still a bright, bubbly, active little boy.

"He's got a short concentration span, but he's obsessed with playing with pots and pans," he says.

"He loves walking and when you hold his hand he'll walk for England.

"We know he'll probably need help for the rest of his life, but we've still got hope. It's a slow process, but each day is a goal in itself.

"All we want to do is to help Oliver in the best way we can."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.