A CALDICOT tot opened the town’s new Asda supermarket on Monday morning.

Imogen Ashwell-Lewis, two, suffers from nerve-muscle condition spastic diplegia cerebral palsy and is unable to walk unaided and relies on a specially-made wheelchair.

She was chosen as part of a search run by the supermarket chain to find a local hero to open the Woodstock Way store.

Last week the Argus reported that the Help Imogen Walk appeal, backed by our sister newspaper the Free Press to raise £40,000 for an operation to help her walk unaided, had reached its target.

And Imogen’s mum Catherine Ashwell-Rice, of Lapwing Avenue, said of her daughter opening the supermarket and the appeal’s success: “It was good. The people who have helped me all the way through have stuck by my side throughout and I’m absolutely amazed. It shows what a lovely place we live in.”

Asda also donated £100 to the Help Imogen Walk appeal.

Other guests at the supermarket’s opening included the Mayor of Caldicot, Cllr Alan Davies, Durand Primary School pupils and singers from Caldicot Male Voice Choir, who performed to shoppers.

The store’s manager Andre Ripano said: “Imogen’s story is a very special one and the people of Caldicot and Chepstow have got fully behind her cause, helping to raise more than the full amount and we wanted to honour her bravery by making her our local hero.”

The store will be open from 7am until 11pm on weekdays, from 7am until 10pm on Saturdays and from 10am until 4pm on Sundays.