Piano boy Lennie raises over £20,000

A 10-YEAR-OLD boy with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus who wowed the internet during the Covid lockdowns by learning scores of songs to play on the piano has closed his fundraising effort after raising more than 25 times his target.

Lennie Street, from Morley, West Yorkshire, cannot stand or walk independently but loves music and decided to challenge himself during lockdown to play 100 songs picked by his supporters.

His mastery of everything from Beethoven to Justin Bieber and

Stevie Wonder became an internet hit as he got support from the likes of pop stars Gary Barlow, Peter Andre, Sophie Ellisbextor and Martin Kemp, broadcaster Jo Whiley, actor Johnny Vegas and Manchester United player Marcus Rashford,

Lennie’s initial target was just £750 but on Thursday he handed over more than £20,000 to his special school – Paces, in Sheffield.

The school said a new centre will allow more children with special needs, like Lennie, to be taught life-changing skills – such as sitting, standing, walking, speaking, communication and self-care.

Julie Booth, head of fundraising and communications at

Paces, said: “Lennie is a superstar.

“We cannot thank him enough for his incredible fundraising.”