Disneyland cast its magic spell over two young West Midlands brothers whose mother died in tragic circumstances last Christmas.

Deran, aged 11, and Daniel Russon, eight, from Tividale, enjoyed a fun-filled four-day holiday at Disneyland Paris with grandparents Roy and Lorna thanks to kind-hearted West Bromwich residents and local companies, including Pertemps.

The boys’ 24-year-old mother Karen, a devoted single mother-of-five, was found hanged at her home in Cambridge Street, West Bromwich, just two days before Christmas last year. She had been suffering from depression, said her father Roy, 53.

He adds: “I just can’t thank everyone enough for their kind thoughts and generosity. We all had a fantastic time at Disneyland Paris. I thought we would never be able to enjoy ourselves again after Karen’s death but we did. The thought did cross my mind that we wouldn’t have been there if Karen had still been alive, but it is the first time this year that I have enjoyed myself and the boys loved it.”

The family stayed at Disney’s Sequoia Lodge Hotel and travelled to the resort by coach. They were joined by a West Bromwich family whose holiday was also paid for by fundraisers. Pertemps Employment Alliance (PEA), which has offices in West Bromwich and across Birmingham, raised £1,000.