A dream has come true for a 16-year-old Kenyan girl who has had a life-changing operation.

Grace Mbuthia is now looking forward to seeing her friends and family and being able to play sport after an operation to correct congenital scoliosis of her spine.

The painful condition, which meant Grace's spice was twisted, affecting her internal organs, was operated on by Professor Robert Dickson and his team at St James's Hospital in Leeds.

Prof Dickson and the anaesthetist who worked on Grace's surgery waived their fee.

Grace is now using crutches to walk and has to wear a special fibreglass jacket for the next three months to help her corrected spine fuse.

The operation, which is not available in Kenya, has been made possible due to the fundraising efforts of Colin and Ann Claxton of Wrenbeck Drive, Otley, who decided to help Grace when they met her on holiday in Kenya and discovered she suffered the same condition as their own daughter Nicola, who had it corrected years before.

With help from many corners of the world, Grace's local community and family, friends and contacts of the Claxtons and the community of Otley, the sum of £17,000 was raised.

Grace, who is now recovering steadily, said: "I feel great. My dream came true. I am looking forward to seeing my friends and my family.

"First I thought I wasn't going to make it, but then I felt everything was going to be OK. I was praying every day."

Grace's mum Joan, 40, said: "Now it is a new start and I can see a lot of difference."

Mr Claxton, 57, praised the nursing and medical staff at St James's Hospital for their care, attention and compassion.

He added: "Local people made Joan and Grace feel loved at this time away from home. Over Christmas and during the time of the operation people sent gifts and cards to the hospital and visited." He said they were hoping to be able to return to Swaziland at the end of next week.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.