A MINEHEAD man who has been severely disabled since birth is appealing for help to buy a special wheelchair – so he can realise his dream of showing his tiny herd of cows at an agriculture show this year.

Dan Sully, 35, was advised to try crowdfunding, after the wheelchair he used to visit his four miniature breed Dexter cows in their field became unrepairable six months ago.

Since then Dan, who requires 24-hour care and can only speak through a specially programmed machine, has not been able to visit his Dexters – Honeysuckle, Fern, Jade and Violet.

He is determined, though, to pursue his dream of showing them in the ring at Dunster Show this year, if he can.

While at the repairers in Exeter, Dan came across a special 4×4 wheelchair, which the company was willing to let him have at cost rather than the normal £10,000.

His mother Chrissy Beaver, who has fundraised to afford equipment for Dan all his life, was unable to afford the £3,500 though, and now Dan has turned to crowdfunding for help, at the suggestion of local advice organisations.

“I used to go up the field every day to get the [cows] used to me and my chair, which I achieved last year,” Dan wrote on his Just Giving page.

“I also got them used to walking beside me on a halter. Unfortunately my chair that I used broke down ... I have found the ideal chair that would enable me to continue with my hobby/ dreams, which is to be able to take my cows to agriculture shows and show them in the ring myself ... “I’m asking for your help to get the chair that will allow me to do this."

Dan was born with Athetoid cerebral palsy, is wheelchair-bound and requires help to go to the toilet, eat and drink, wash or scratch an itch.

He can, however, use a computer via a roller ball that his foot controls, and he can also control his wheelchair.

This is the first time the family has ever sought external help. If the crowdfunding campaign raises more than the cost of his wheelchair, Dan plans to pass it on to help other disabled people.To contribute to Dan's fund visit justgiving.com and search for Dan Sully