Courageous Lucy recognised

Lucy, nine, from Southwick, suffers from sodium valporate syndrome. She was born with a deformed right foot and weak muscle tone and has to wear a body brace 24 hours a day.

She also had a cleft palate, which was operated on when she was a year old. When she was four, Lucy had her right foot amputated and learned to walk with a prosthetic leg, up to her knee.

A year later, doctors found Lucy was suffering from scoliosis '“ a curvature of the spine. She's since had two major operations to cut her spine and replace part of it with steel rods to keep her upright.

The rods have to be lengthened every six to nine months, an extremely painful process, undertaken at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London.

Lucy also has hearing difficulties and is learning sign language.

Despite all this, Lucy, who attends Herons Dale special school in Shoreham, has a busy social diary, playing football for the Seagulls special needs team, swimming, doing yoga and playing the recorder, as well as going to the St John Ambulance Badgers group at Southwick.

Her mum, Sally, said: "Lucy never complains and always has a smile on her face, even when she is in pain."

Lucy's grandmother Marilyn Mitchell, who nominated her for the Woman's Own Children of Courage awards, said: "Lucy is a wonderful little girl, a light in all our lives."

The 10 nominated youngsters, aged between five and 15, will receive their awards before a star-studded congregation at Westminster Abbey on December 13 and then be guests of honour at a special reception at the House of Lords.

Before the ceremony itself, the winners will attend a breakfast at Number 10 Downing Street, to be hosted by Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie.