BIKER DAD'S 4000-MILE RIDE TO HELP GEORGE SMILE; US trek raises research cash.

Byline: By Kevan Christie

TWO pals are crossing America by motorbike to raise vital research cash for a little boy who can't smile.

George Read is one of just 200 people in the UK who have Moebius syndrome, a condition which paralyses facial muscles.

The five-year-old even has to wear sunglasses to protect his eyes, as he is unable to blink.

Now dad Colin and friend Iain Whyte are biking across the United States wearing specially designed kilts to raise funds for research into the condidtion.

The two have just set out from New York to motorcycle the 4000 miles to Los Angeles with the aim of raising pounds 250,000 for ground-breaking DNA research into the rare condition.

Colin, 44, a commercial photographer, named the charity trip Kilts Across America.

He said: "We obviously wanted to wear kilts throughout the whole journey, so we had two each specially made, ranging from light to heavyweight to suit the weather conditions.

"But we quickly realised after picking the bikes up in Washington and riding them to New York that wearing kilts was not ideal and was going to be a hard shift.

"We'll go through some amount of Vaseline to prevent chaffing and we'll be using massive amounts of sun block during the trip."

Colin said they were both confident of putting a dent in the pounds 250,000 target.

He said: "Cars have been pulling past us then slowing down to have a look when the drivers notice our kilts and people have been taking pictures.

"We've raised around pounds 37,000 so far for the Meobius Research Trust and are confident we can get close to the pounds 250,000 needed.

"It would be great to make progress into finding out what causes Moebius syndrome, with the ultimate goal being to find a cure.

"I want to help my son George and all the other people whose lives have been affected by Moebius." Mum Dionne said she hopes experts will find a cure which will help George to smile in her lifetime.

She said: "I have to stress the trust are principally involved in trying to set up research into the causes of the syndrome.

"We don't want to give anyone false hope by saying there may be a cure available but my dream is they find one in my lifetime so I can see George's lovely smiling face.

"I'm delighted Colin is doing this - even if he is leavingme with the kids!"

She added: "I'm so proud of my wee boy.

"He's defied the medical experts who said he would have to go to a special needs school. He is doing drama and has taken up karate.

"We never told his big sisters there was anything wrong with him until he was three because we wanted them to get to know George without thinking there was anything wrong with him.

"Even though George is outnumbered by his sisters, they all dote on him and love him to bits."

Moebius syndrome was discovered in the 1880s by German doctor Paul JuliusMoebius. It affects the sixth and seventh cranial nerves in the brain and those affected can't smile, frown or blink their eyes and can only move their eyes up or down.

To donate to Kilts Across America or to sponsor the trip, log on to www.kiltsacrossamerica.co.uk.

'We'll go through some amount of Vaseline and sun block'

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FAMILY: Dionne with George and his sisters Kathryn and Alex; MY HERO: George with dad Colin on his motorbike ALAN SIMPSON