AS most nine-year-olds eagerly unwrapped their gifts from Santa yesterday, one Yeadon girl has received the best present of all - news that her life-changing operation could be just months away.

Eve McGuire suffers from a rare genetic condition and requires £100,000 so that she can have a tube removed from her neck which will allow her to breath through her mouth.

And the trust fund set up to pay for the surgery by a top American specialist in New York, has now reached £75,000.

Eve was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, which means that not enough bone formed in her face.

She has no external ears and can only hear thanks to an implanted hearing aid.

With the tube gone, Eve will be able to lead a more independent life and have less risk of infection.

.Eve's parents, Belinda and Michael, and brother Daniel, 14 started fundraising in June this year and are absolutely staggered by how much has been raised in just six months.

The news means that the family, from Westfield Oval, can start planning for the operation to take place in a matter of months, rather than years.

At the moment Eve attends West End Primary School in Horsforth where a special health worker is provided to monitor the tracheostomy.

The operation will be done by the leading Treacher Collins specialist Joe McArthy, who is based in New York.

But as well as the cost of the surgery, there is the expense of travel and accommodation.

Belinda will have to take three months off from her work at Acorn Estate Agents in Yeadon to be with Eve until she can return home.

The couple re-mortgaged their house to pay for a consultation with Dr McArthy, but thought they faced a long haul to get enough money for the actual operation.

Eve McGuire Trust organiser and fundraiser Neil Hunt, is absolutely delighted with the money raised so far, but has asked people to continue being generous.

"I am amazed at the amount that has been raised in such a short time, but we really need the last quarter to make sure there is enough money for the operation and all of the expense that goes with it.

"There will be a lot more fundraising to be done because Eve and Belinda will have to travel back to America for check-ups and so on.

"At least now we can start to make arrangements for Eve to have an outpatient's appointment in America as soon as possible.

"We could have the appointment in a few months and everything will go from there."

Mr Hunt also said: "This whole experience of helping the family has raised my faith in humanity because people have been so fantastic and I would like to thank all who have helped.

"There is still a lot to do but we are now very confident that with everyone's help we will be sending Eve to America sooner rather than later.

"We want to give a big thanks for the best Christmas present Eve could have wished for."

The fund was recently boosted by a £1,000 donation from the Beehive and Crosskeys pubs in Halifax.

Regulars raised money with a raffle, head shave and night of live music. Other events still to come include students at Horsforth School holding a disco and fundraising at ASDA at Owlcoates and in Shipley.

Staff at Filtronic Comtec in Shipley donated money instead of sending Christmas cards to each other..

Anyone who wants to help can write to the Eve McGuire Trust, PO Box 178, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6WZ, visit the website at www.evemcguire.org or call Neil Hunt on 07831 482405.