In pictures: Ball for Harwich girl with condition causing blindness

Audrey Tyrrell, 12, of Dovercourt, has been diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic disease that affects both hearing and vision.

Usher syndrome has no cure and happens due to specific recessive mutations which affects three to six out of every 100,000 people, in severe cases leading to blindness.

Arrival - Audrey Tyrrell arrives to her event in a classic Daimler car (Image: Hollyvision) Audrey, who is one of four children in the family, now has a list of “visual memories” and experiences the family would like to have before she goes blind. 

One of these was a black-tie event was held at the Waterfront in Dovercourt on Saturday, raising £4,837 for Audrey’s visual memories list which includes climbing Mount Snowdon, going to the Tate Modern Gallery, and seeing the Statue of Liberty.

Glamourous - Audrey entering the Waterfront (Image: Hollyvision) Audrey said she loved “everything about the event” including that she felt like a “celeb and princess all rolled into one”.

Event - Toni Smith and Audrey Tyrrell at the black-tie event (Image: Hollyvision) Toni Smith, 66, who organised the event said: “The whole family absolutely loved it, and it was a really good event.

“Audrey absolutely loved her dress and had a choice of three, she was in heaven, and she had her best friend there, making it a really special night.”
 

Organiser - Toni Smith (Image: Hollyvision) Toni also said that Audrey’s mum Tracy, 45, gave a “very emotional speech” telling the guests about Audrey’s journey since birth.

Family - The Tyrrell family (Left to Right) Andrew, Harry, Jack, Audrey, Emily, and Tracey (Image: Hollyvision) The family will be getting a ride in a helicopter after a friend of Toni’s daughter attended the event and wanted to help Audrey have a special memory.

Special thanks were made to Eddie Clifton, the owner of The Waterfront, who gifted the use of the venue.

Effort - Small businesses across Tendring came together to make the event special for Audrey (Image: Hollyvision) The red carpet was donated by Sharon Wood, the classic Daimler car was owned and driven by Rob Ruffell, the balloons were sculpted and donated by Amy of Bespoke Balloons in Clacton, Les Nichol hosted the event including an auction, and the flowers were created by Amy Giles.