A regional daily’s campaign to raise cash to buy artificial legs for a disabled teenager has smashed its target in a matter of days.

Schoolboy Lyndon Longhorne from County Durham lost both legs and part of an arm when he was struck down by meningitis as a baby, but he has since become a paralympic swimmer and dreams of competing at the 2012 Games in London.

Earlier this month, The Northern Echo got behind Durham County Council chairman Brian Myers’ bid to buy Lyndon new prosthetic legs from a private clinic which could help him achieve the ambition.

Now Lyndon and his family are celebrating after the newspaper’s campaign swiftly exceeded its £10,000 target.

The new £10,000 limbs will now be ready in time for Lyndon’s 14th birthday in November – and the response to the appeal has been so strong that there are now plans to buy him a £25,000 bionic arm too.

Coun Myers thanked readers of the Echo when he announced the fundraising bid has reached its goal at a council meeting.

“To say I am amazed at the generosity of ordinary people from the area is a gross understatement – it has been quite staggering how quickly the money has come in,” he said.

Writing on his blog, Echo editor Peter Barron said Lyndon’s story was “one of the most inspiring I have ever dealt with.”