By Pam McClounie

Last updated at 11:43, Friday, 06 November 2009

A boy who had an operation to remove a disfiguring growth from his nose with the help of cash raised in Cumbria, is thriving in the Solomon Islands.

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Cumbrians helped fund the operation in 2006 so that the life of little Locky Piko could be transformed.

Had the lump ever ruptured, it could have led to Locky – who is now nine-years-old – contracting meningitis.

Locky’s plight first came to the public’s attention when his uncle – former Penrith man – Barrie Spedding brought him to Cumbria when he was five years old.

A fund was set up to help the soccer-mad youngster which raised more than £20,000.

The fund was co-ordinated by Pastor Bill Kitchen, formerly of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Carlisle, now living in Askam in Furness.

He is kept up to date on Locky’s progress and said: “Locky’s aunt and uncle came over last year and brought some photographs. He is doing well by all accounts and is a very lively little boy.

“Where Locky lives, it is known as subsistence living. They live off the land. In the morning the wives go out and catch fish for breakfast and then they pick fruit from the trees.

“Someone on the island where Locky lives has a satellite phone so it would be good to catch up with him sometime. We were invited to go over there but it costs about £1,000 for a flight which is quite expensive.”

The money left over from Locky’s fund was used to set up a school which now offers youngsters the chance to go on to secondary education and ultimately even get a place to study at college in Australia.

Mr Kitchen said: “The people in north Cumbria were incredibly generous.”

First published at 05:18, Friday, 06 November 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk