SIX-year-old Brecon Vaughan was happy to be back in school with his friends this week after undergoing pioneering surgery in America.

The Shirenewton Primary pupil, suffers from a debilitating nerve-muscle condition known as spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which means he suffers stiffness in his legs and poor balance and coordination.

Before the operation, Brecon, of Birdwood Gardens, Mathern, could not walk without his walker and relied on a wheelchair when going out for the day, using his splints at home.

He flew to Missouri last month with his parents Rob Vaughan and Ann Drewery, both 44, to have two operations that surgeons hope will enable him to walk on his own.

The treatment was made possible after a Free Press appeal, launched in June, helped his parents raise £60,000 in a matter of weeks.

The campaign was given a huge boost by Dan Black of Llanvair Discoed, who donated £22,000 which has been raised for him after he was left wheelchair bound in a road accident in 2009.

Mr Black, 25, was so touched by Brecon’s story, he decided the youngster deserved the money more than he did.

The radical four-and-a-half hour procedure, developed at the hospital, divided the nerve roots that contribute to the stiffness, giving more balance and enabling the patient to walk. Brecon then had a second operation to lengthen his heel cords to enable him to walk with a more natural rolling motion and had daily physiotherapy over five weeks.

The family arrived back in the UK on Sunday and Brecon was back in school on Monday. He has to wear two types of orthopaedic shoes for six months and cannot bear weight for six weeks. He needs intense physiotherapy four times a week for three months to build up his muscles and will continue with physiotherapy for three years.

Jane Edwards, headteacher at Shirenewton Primary said: “We are really happy that he is back. The children are delighted to see Brecon as they have missed him.”

Mr Vaughan said Brecon has done really well and managed to walk ten steps during physiotherapy in America.

“It’s been a real tough deal, but we have to take our hat off to Brecon’s determination and resolve.

“We would like to thank everybody who got behind us for this trip and all at St Louis Children’s Hospital who made it as comfortable as can be for us.”