Disabled children will get a ticket to ride thanks to a new scheme by charity Meru and The Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People (QEF).

They are supplying Bugzies, a type of powered wheelchair for children aged one to six, on loan free of charge.

Parents and therapists can apply for the first 10 Bugzies from the scheme at QEF Mobility Services in Carshalton, Surrey.

The Bugzi, which is designed and manufactured by children’s charity MERU, offers a unique opportunity for pre-school children with disabilities to experience independent mobility for the first time in their lives.

At that age being mobile enables children to have crucial, formative experiences which are essential to brain development.

The scheme has been made possible by a special campaign to raise £100,000 which will pay for 20 Bugzies, launched in 2011 by TV presenter Richard Hammond.

Mr Hammond said: "As a father of young children, I have seen how a child benefits from being able to interact with the world.

To see Bugzi making this a reality for children whose parents believed it was an impossible dream is very moving."

The deadline for applying for a free Bugzi is March 31, 2013.

To qualify, the child must have legal residency in the UK for a minimum of 6 months.

Contact Marion D'Moirah on 0208 7701152 for an application form.