A fundraising event to raise money to make alterations to a family home so an autistic 13-year-old boy can return to Fermanagh will take place in Bellanaleck this Saturday after almost £10,000 was raised in a week.

Ruairi Smyth has been forced to live in a purpose-built facility for people with learning disabilities in Belfast and cannot return home full time to Fermanagh until the Western Health and Social Care Trust draw up a business case, a document his parents say they have been waiting on for almost a year.

Neil and Lorraine Smyth from Bellanaleck say the delay means their son Ruairi must remain living at Iveagh Centre, over an hour and a half away, where he has been since he was 11 because of a lack of adequate support in the county for his needs.

Frustrated, they are now attempting to raise the money needed for the work themselves and have already raised almost £10,000 through a special GoFundMe page set up only last week.

This weekend they will hold a static cycle at Cathcart’s shop in Bellanaleck.

“Basically it’s six hours on the bikes; we think the same amount of time it would take to cycle to see Ruairi in Belfast.

“Please come along, hop on the bikes and make a donation. We have more than 17 people looking to take part so far,” explained Neil.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust did not comment last week, nor has the organisation been in contact with Ruairi's family about this issue since the publication of their plight.

To donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bring-ruairi-home