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Dream come true for Seacroft family in benefits hell
Big-hearted clubbers have set a disabled schoolgirl from Seacroft on the path to a lifetime dream.
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After reading about a benefits bungle which left grandparents Dennis and Eunice Melia unable to pay for their daughter's funeral, Oceania nightclub offered to hold a one-off bucket collection.
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And the couple plan to set up a special account for the 300 raised, using it as a building block for a fund to take grandchildren Kodey, seven, and Jack, five, to Euro Disney.
Kodey, who has cerebral palsy, has been described as "Mickey Mouse mad" by her grandparents.
Eunice said: "She would love to go there. We know it's not cheap but this money will give us a start, and we will save wherever we can to get them there.
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"Seeing their faces if they went on a trip like that would be something we'd never forget."
Dennis and Eunice, of Mardale Crescent, lost their daughter Lizzie to cancer last March.
They became guardians for the two children, but a problem with child benefit and tax credit payments left them struggling to put food on the table.
The problem became so bad, Eunice was on the verge of pawning her jewellery – including her treasured wedding ring.
But, after their story appeared in the Yorkshire Evening Post, an official from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs contacted the couple to organise an interim benefits cheque.
Shortly afterwards, the payments started to arrive in full and on time.
On top of that, Dennis and Eunice were contacted by Leeds businessman and self-made millionaire Jeff Cains, who offered to cover the costs of Lizzie's funeral.
Dennis said: "Jeff's partner, Clare, came to see us. She just gave us 400 cash, there and then, which paid off the funeral bill.
"We couldn't believe it, it was such a generous thing to do. Clare said it was because she could remember having hard times herself and she wanted to help out."
Another touching donation came from an anonymous Shadwell pensioner, who sent five pounds in cash to the couple.
The note with the money said: "I read about this couple and had to help them."
Eunice said: "We have been really touched by how kind people have been."
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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