A Romanian child has finally been adopted by a Burntwood family after almost four years of court battles.

Vid, short for Ovidiu, aged 13, had suffered from rickets since he was born and his legs were severely weak and mis-shapen. His parents in Romania could not afford to keep him so he was sent to an orphanage.

The authorities in his country were going to send him to a mental institution because of his disabilities, despite the fact he was of sound mind.

Val and Phil Stratton run a charity in Burntwood called 'Hand in Hand in Union' which specifies in Romanian cases, and they discovered Vid's situation while on a charity mission to his homeland, where this harrowing and exhausting story began.

The Mercury has been following the story for a number of years, and last week Val and Phil were finally granted the adoption they have worked so tirelessly for.

Vid has lived with the couple, who have two grown-up daughters, for around four years. In September 1998, Vid was brought to the UK from Romania after a hospital consultant asked Val to try to bring him back for physiotherapy, originally for one month.

He was taken to Little Aston hospital, where it was found that he was suffering from severe malnutrition.

Despite being nine, Vid was wearing clothes designed to fit a five-year-old, and size 12 shoes. He was so weak and poorly fed he could not walk up a flight of stairs.

After receiving massive support from members of the public, councillors and MPs, Val and Phil managed to extend Vid's visa to allow him to stay with them while they fought to adopt him. "All the local people have been truly fantastic," said Val.

"Tony Wright MP and Michael Fabricant MP have been really, really supportive. We couldn't have managed this without everyone's help."

Vid was enrolled at St. Joseph's Primary School, and despite being unable to read or write, he was welcomed by teachers and pupils alike.
"Tony O'Malley, the school headteacher, enrolled Vid straight away and we can't thank him enough. Vid is attending Cardinal Griffin High School now. He is a long way behind but we are proud of the way he is slowly, but surely, catching up."

On Tuesday, November 19 Val and Phil were finally granted adoption of Vid after three court appearances and all those years of trying.

"All our hard work has paid off, we are absolutely over the moon and so is Vid," said Val. Val and Phil's Chase Terrace Charity, 'Hand in Hand in Union' is holding its annual meeting tonight (Thursday) at 7.30pm at Tynings Lane Church in Aldridge. The couple run charity shops in Aldridge and Chase Terrace Shop.