An eight-year-old Cheshire girl with a rare degenerative disease has become one of the first to receive a pioneering new treatment that will attempt to save her eyesight.
Amelia Carroll, from Poynton near Stockport, was diagnosed with CLN2 Batten disease – an incurable and fatal condition that affects roughly around 30-50 children in the UK – when she was just two.
The disease is caused by a change in a gene that is responsible for making a specific enzyme in the nervous system, and it results in seizures, a gradual decline in a child’s ability to walk, speak and see, as well as progressive dementia.
Amelia’s 11-year-old brother Ollie also has the same condition, yet has sadly already lost his eyesight.
“We have watched our son Ollie go blind, and now the same is starting to happen to Amelia,” mother Lucy Carroll explained, which is why her and her husband Mike decided to contribute to a fundraising campaign together with families of other children affected by the disease alongside the Battens Disease Family Association (BDFA) to help fund a world-first trail of a groundbreaking new treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
Over £200,000 was raised through the campaign, and clinicians and researchers at GOSH and ICH say the treatment programme has the potential to transform the quality of life for children living with CLN2 Batten disease.
Amelia became one of the first children in the world to receive the treatment, and is said to already be responding to it “perfectly”, CheshireLive reports.
For the past two years, enzyme replacement therapy has been used to help prevent neurological deterioration in children with CLN2 disease. The drug, called Brineura, was first approved for use on the NHS in 2019 and is administered directly into the brain by a regular infusion.
It has shown to restore enzyme activity and slow the onset of disability.
However, this infusion into the brain does not prevent children going blind, as the enzyme cannot cross the blood-retina barrier, and this means that the nerves in the eye cannot function and vision is lost, which is why clinicians and researchers at GOSH and ICH are trying a the treatment to prevent the onset of blindness instead.
To do this, GOSH said they are using the tiny amount of the drug leftover from the brain infusion and injecting it directly into the back of the eye.
The 18-month treatment trail – which is said to be being given on a compassionate use basis – hopes to prevent eyesight deterioration in children by providing the enzyme that the nerves in the back of the eye need to function.
Ms Carroll said “to save a child’s sight would be incredible”, and if it does indeed work, it would “make such a big difference to Amelia’s quality of life”.
“We just pray it works,” she added.
Speaking on the groundbreaking treatment trail, Professor Paul Gissen, from GOSH and the UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, said: “If successful, we hope our work can pave the way to saving the sight of more children with this disease to preserve their quality of life for as long as possible.”
Amelia’s father, Mike Carroll, said the “amazing” nurses and doctors treating his daughter were “incredible”.
Police tell gig-goers to ‘remain vigilant’ as Oasis Live ’25 hits Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Anyone lucky enough to be heading to Heaton Park for the Oasis Live ’25 gigs this summer is being told to ‘remain vigilant’.
Manchester is all set for a sensational summer of sound, as more than 300,000 music fans prepare to descend on our city to see a little-known band called Oasis (sarcasm detected) reform for the first time in over a decade.
And today is finally the big day after what has been a very long-time coming.
With the Gallagher brothers staging five nostalgia-drenched gigs at Heaton Park starting today (11 July), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has now issued some important advice and information for gig-goers attending what is likely going to be one of the best live shows of their life, and what is sure to be a momentous moment for the city.
Oasis Live ’25 Manchester gig-goers told to ‘remain vigilant’ / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Publicity Picture)
GMP confirmed that it will be working with partners to ensure Oasis’ homecoming shows ‘pass by safely’ on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.
Planning has been underway within GMP over the past six months, alongside our partners at Manchester City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), and many more.
Police officers will be present around the Heaton Park site, working with event security staff to ‘prevent crime and disorder’, while off-site patrols will also assist with traffic management and policing in the surrounding areas and the city centre.
Efforts are also underway to ‘minimise disruption’ in Manchester city centre and the surrounding areas, GMP confirmed.
We’ll be working with partners to ensure Oasis’ homecoming shows pass by safely at Manchester’s Heaton Park starting from this Friday.
Planning has been underway within GMP over the past six months alongside our partners.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 10, 2025
“Our priority is to ensure everyone’s safety,” explained Assistant Chief Constable, Matt Boyle.
“We have worked closely with event organisers and partners to make sure the event is safe and enjoyable for those attending, whilst minimising any crime or antisocial behaviour impacts on local residents.
“We will have a large and highly visible policing operation in place in Heaton Park, the city centre, and on routes into and out of the venue to help people enjoy the event. We also have neighbourhood police officers and staff in place who are dedicated to dealing with local residents’ concerns.
“Our advice to fans attending is to enjoy yourselves but to remain vigilant, keep your belongings safe, and report anything suspicious to police or security staff so we can act on it.”
Major Co-op Live concert cancelled with fans already inside venue
Daisy Jackson
Major Co-op Live gig Jeff Lynne’s ELO has been cancelled this evening – after fans had already entered the venue.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO were set to perform the second of two nights at the huge Manchester venue tonight, as part of their final UK tour.
The Over and Out Tour should have been taking place on both the 9 and 10 July before heading to London’s BST Hyde Park Festival on Sunday.
But the show has been cancelled minutes before the legendary band were due to take to the stage.
Fans had already taken their seats inside the massive Co-op Live Arena when the news broke that the gig would not be able to take place ‘due to illness’.
77-year-old Jeff Lynne himself, who recently broke his hand in an accident, is said to be ‘devastated’ that he is unable to perform.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO has been cancelled at Co-op Live
A statement from the band said: “Unfortunately due to illness tonight’s (Thursday 10th July 2025) scheduled performance of Jeff Lynne’s ELO at the Co-Op Live will not be going ahead.
“Jeff is devastated he cannot perform this evening.
“More information will become available as soon as possible. For refunds please go to your point of purchase.”
According to fans, audiences inside Co-op Live were told the show was cancelled with just 45 minutes to go.
One person wrote: “The concert that never was. Cancelled with 45mins to go. Get well soon Jeff Lynne.”
Literally mins after this picture was taken Jeff Lynn cancelled 😞 @JeffLynnesELO Broke his hand a few days ago and has played the best he can and well done to you ! But then decides to cancel 2nd night n Manchester very last minute ! But it’s ok just ask for a refund !!! 😡 pic.twitter.com/wv1JfWPwk5