A 5ft 5in mum has started a fundraising drive to buy a state-of-the-art wheelchair for her disabled 15-year-old son - because pushing him up Bradford's hills is wearing her out.

Benedict Johnson is already more than six feet tall and mum Sharon is struggling to cope, especially as she suffers from diabetes herself which often leaves her short of energy.

Sharon, of Gondal Court, Little Horton, Bradford, needs to raise more than £4,000 to buy a dual-control wheelchair for Benedict.

She has set up the Ben Johnson's Wheelchair Fund, a registered charity, which she believes will improve the quality of life for both Ben, a student at Bowling Special School, and the rest of her family.

The 36-year-old said: "I'm only five foot five and Ben is already six foot one. So with my diabetes it is getting to be really hard on all of us actually managing to get him anywhere.

"The chair we are after would give him more independence around the house and more freedom at school.

"It is called a Spectre Plus, and is battery-powered, so it's easier to push, or Ben can use it more easily on his own.

"At the moment, going into Bradford city centre is a nightmare because it is all on a hill. If you need to go to a shop which is at the bottom and then one that is at the top it becomes very tiring and stressful.

"With the new wheelchair, life would be a lot better, even giving Ben more independence to play with his brothers.

"I wouldn't be hurting myself and straining myself with the chair - it would make life a lot better with Ben and for Ben."

Mrs Johnson, who is also Ben's full-time carer, said the stress involved in using the chair Ben currently uses could also damage her own health.

"I often have to check my own blood sugar levels because the strain of what I'm doing can cause it to drop," she said.

At the moment Ben also receives a lot of help from his three siblings - his twin Zac, younger brother Sam, 13, and his sister Dominique, 11.

Mrs Johnson said: "If we couldn't raise the money this way it would be completely impossible for us to afford over £4,000 for a wheelchair. We would just have to go on struggling with this one or just hope that Ben doesn't grow anymore or put any more weight on.

"Really, we are calling out for anybody that can help, no matter how little. Anything would be brilliant."

To start raising funds, Mrs Johnson is planning a sponsored bike ride, a sponsored bed push and a pub crawl around Bradford collecting money.

Anyone who can help should contact T&A reporter James Rush on (01274) 705378.