Â£161m Lotto couple pay for spinal operation to help disabled girl walk: Four-year-old with cerebral palsy takes first steps without sticks just in time for Christmas Skye Swinton was refused spinal surgery treatment on the NHS Mother Ruth wrote to Chris and Colin Weir in desperation asking for help The couple generously agreed to share their Â£161million EuroMillions jackpot Little girl has now taken her first steps without sticks in time for Christmas This Christmas, Skye Swinton got exactly the gift sheâ€™d dreamed of â€" the chance to walk unaided for the first time. The four-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, had life-changing spinal surgery paid for by Britainâ€™s biggest lottery winners, Chris and Colin Weir. Skye was refused the treatment on the NHS, so her mother Ruth wrote to the Weirs in desperation, asking for help to pay the Â£40,000 cost. Skye Swinton from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, who has cerebral palsy walks for the first time unaided since having an operation funded by Britain's biggest lottery winners The four-year-old girl took her first steps - thanks to the generosity of Britain's biggest lottery winners, Chris and Colin Weir The couple generously agreed to share their Â£161million EuroMillions jackpot and Skye had the surgery in October â€" meaning she took her first steps without walking sticks just in time for Christmas. Mrs Swinton, 39, said: â€˜Seeing her walking with a smile on her face is the most amazing Christmas present. Her progress has been amazing. â€˜In the past she could not walk properly on her own because she could only walk on the tips of her toes. â€˜Now, she can get her heels on the ground and there is no stopping her. â€˜She is absolutely loving it and wants to show off how well she can walk.â€™ Skye, who was born 13 weeks early weighing just 1lb 15oz, has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Her operation, a selective dorsal rhizotomy carried out at Bristolâ€™s Frenchay Hospital, is new to the UK, but has been performed in the States for years. The couple generously agreed to share their Â£161million EuroMillions jackpot and Skye had the surgery in October - meaning she took her first steps without walking sticks just in time for Christmas Skye was refused the treatment on the NHS, so her mother Ruth (right) wrote to the Weirs in desperation, asking for help to pay the Â£40,000 cost It involves partially cutting nerves where they join the spinal cord, in order to loosen the muscles. Without it she would have remained confined to a wheelchair, and would have needed major corrective surgery in a few years. Mr and Mrs Weir, of North Ayrshire, Scotland, became Britainâ€™s biggest single jackpot winners in 2011. They paid Â£28,000 towards the surgery after the Swinton family raised Â£12,000. Mrs Swinton, a full-time carer for Skye who lives in Cheltenham with her husband John, said: â€˜This will make a huge difference to Skyeâ€™s life. â€˜In time, she will be able to take part in all the activities her peers are.â€™ In a statement, Mr and Mrs Weir said they hoped the donation would ease the familyâ€™s worries. They said: â€˜Skye faces many challenges in the next year. Without the additional worry and pressure of fundraising, their time can be spent on Skye.â€™