A TEENAGER from York is said to be doing well after undergoing the five-and-a-half hour operation he hopes will allow him to walk for the first time in his life.

Thomas Arnett, 14, from Strensall, has cerebral palsy and has been at the centre of a £25,000 fundraising campaign to pay for the operation, which took place in Bristol on Tuesday.

His mother, Adele Sullivan, contacted The Press on the day of the procedure to say consultants were “positive about the outcome”. Yesterday, family friend Clare Inkster revealed Thomas had managed to move his legs.

She said: “I spoke to Adele after the operation and the doctor told her the operation had gone perfectly.

“He is suffering a bit of pain in his back and he’s been taken to the high dependency unit (HDU) because his oxygen levels were low, but the consultant has been round and told Adele he’s well enough to be moved off the HDU.”

She said: “Adele is doing really well. She told me yesterday she is not stressed and has full trust in the consultant and the people at the hospital who are brilliant.”

Mrs Inkster said Thomas is expected to remain in hospital for a further three weeks, but that it was “all going good.”

Thomas was born with cerebral palsy, leaving him unable to walk due to nerve damage which badly affects his ability to control leg movement.

A campaign launched last year by friends and family successfully raised the £25,000 needed to pay for the treatment, which NHS chiefs in North Yorkshire were unable to fund.

The process, known as selective dorsal rhizotomy, only became available in 2010, but could provide a new lease of life for Tom.

Extra money raised in the campaign will be used for the lengthy physiotherapy needed to get Thomas walking.