HE'S on his way... the Observer's appeal to send incurably-ill Ryan Cottrell on a holiday of a lifetime has passed its target after just four weeks.

We needed £6,000 to send eight-year-old Ryan, who suffers from the painful skin condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), on a magical Christmas break with his family to meet Santa in Lapland.

Thanks to our generous readers and some big-hitting benefactors, the total in our special appeal account had yesterday reached a whopping £7,600.

A terrific boost for the fund came when an Oswaldtwistle businessman came into our offices with a cheque for £3,000 - and said he wanted to remain anonymous.

He said: "The story really moved me. I try to give something every year and when I saw this I knew I had to get involved. It made me think about my own family and realise how lucky I am."

Other large donations this week included £500 from Accrington Lions, £500 from Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary Club and £150 from the Accrington District Masonic Charity.

Speaking from the family home in Carter Street, Accrington, Ryan's dad Shaun, 34, said: "Ryan's been cheered up endlessly by all this. Our warmest and deepest thanks go to everyone, especially the elderly and children who've given so generously.

"Ryan's having a check-up in London at the moment. He'll be coming home with a very special trip to look forward to. It is lovely to know that many people have been thinking about him."

Although our target has now been reached and Ryan's trip to Lapland is assured, we are continuing our fund-raising to make the family's life easier and buy them anything they need.

Many people have now organised fund-raising events to help.

On Saturday dozens of drinkers from the Bridge Inn, Church, will take part in a rickshaw push from the Hargreaves Arms in Accrington all the way back to the Bridge.

Teams of collectors, clad in fancy dress, will call at every pub on the route. The colourful event will culminate in a potato-pie supper, disco and raffle at the Bridge on Henry Street.

Michael O'Riley, co-organiser of the event, said hundreds of pounds had already been pledged.

He said: "We're looking forward to seeing people out and about and we hope they dig deep to help Ryan's appeal.

"People have been so helpful and generous but it is for a very worthwhile cause."

Other fund-raising events include a fun night at the Golden Cross pub in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, on Thursday night; a sponsored chest wax, raffle and fun day at the Accrington Stanley function room on Sunday 7 November; and a charity car wash at Baxenden Autowash on Saturday 20 November.

And staff at the North Lancs Training Group are holding a Halloween party with optional fancy dress in the upstairs function room of the Si restaurant on Blackburn Road, Accrington, on 29 October from 8pm till late.

There will be karaoke and a disco with prizes for the best costumes. Tickets costing £3 are available from all NTLG offices.

This week's other donations were: £100 from A Williams; £50 from the New Friends of Hyndburn Widows; £50 from the "Lipstick Girls"; £20 from L Kijewski; £30 from the staff at Kwong Ming Chinese restaurant, Accrington; £10 from M T Doyle; £10 from D and S Tate; £10 anonymous; £40 from Mr and Mrs L Barlow, Elmwood Close, Accrington; £20 from Mrs M Baldwin; £20 from Mrs D E Sagar; £20 from D and H Jones; £25 from H Mattison; £30 from Hannah and Louis Dawson; £10 from S Greenwood; £25 anonymous; and £10 from Audrey Smith, Queens Road, Accrington.