A mum cried tears of joy when she learned a ground-floor bath could finally be installed for her severely disabled daughter.

Last week this website reported that 15 year-old Ellie, who suffered severe brain damage as a baby, has not been able to bathe at home for two years, after a mystery virus left her unable to walk even a few steps--let alone upstairs to the bathroom.

Sonia Jordon said she had been contacted by Sutton Housing Partnership on Friday morning, the day after the article ran, and was told that planning permission for a ground-floor extension for the bathroom had already been approved.

But she still hadn't been sure whether the specialist bath and cleaning suite--costing about £11,000--was going to be paid for.

Representatives of Sutton Council and Sutton Housing Partnership confirmed to the Sutton Guardian that the bath would definitely be funded, with construction for the extension scheduled to begin in six weeks time.

"That's fantastic," said Mrs Jordon, struggling to hold back tears.

When they moved into their Collingwood Road house in June, the family had been told that both the extension and bath for Ellie would be paid for.

But Mrs Jordon said a council occupational therapy worker had later advised them to look at alternative funding sources. The family then began asking for donations to pay for the bath.

A statement from Sutton Housing Partnership yesterday read: "[We are] paying for the ground floor bathroom extension including a specialist bath for Ellie and it has always been our intention to do so."

It is unclear how the mix-up in communication over funding occurred.

Mrs Jordon said the housing partnership had been in touch a number of times since the end of last week, arranging to fix maintenance outstanding issues: "They can't seem to do enough all of a sudden."

Delighted with the news about the bath, she said any money already raised would go towards a sensory room for Ellie--a safe, therapeutic space with special lighting and musical equipment.

The family had one in their last house, but had struggled to afford a new one since they moved.

"It's Ellie's escape," said Mrs Jordon. "Other kids go to the park, but she physically can't do that."

The Jordons are now hopeful that Ellie will soon be able to enjoy one more simple pleasure--having a bath at home.