Westwood's Nicole Chorley is recovering following her second operation in America, which was funded by generous donations to the Nicole’s Goal appeal.

On Tuesday cerebral palsy sufferer, Nicole, six, underwent life-changing hamstring and tendon-lengthening surgery at St Louis Childrens Hospital, Missouri, to help her in her quest to walk.

Mum Tracy Chorley, 46, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of Nicole’s latest surgery. We are now back at the hotel, Nicole is on Valium, very sleepy and quite sore.

“The operation will have set her back a bit, but with physio and in the long run, it will have improved her movement.”

Nicole is having physio sessions every day before she and her family fly home on Monday.

Mrs Chorley said: “Prior to this latest operation, Nicole recovered well from her previous surgery and managed to walk 100 steps with her walker at the weekend. She loves going on the treadmill and leg press.

“We are looking forward to coming home, it is going to be lots of hard work for Nicole building her movement up, but she is determined she will do it. We are going to have to look into getting all the equipment we need when we return home. Nicole has coped really well with the heat out here, but her only complaint has been the food – we can’t wait to get back for a good old roast.”

Nicole and the rest of her family, which included father Paul, 40, and sister Amie, 16, will arrive back at Heathrow on Monday.

Mrs Chorley said: “This has been such an emotional trip. Nicole can now sit cross-legged on the floor, this is something small for us but a huge thing for her as she will be the same as her friends at school.

“Her leg movement is so different now, she can swing her legs while sitting in a chair again, all things we take for granted but it is such a huge difference for her.”

Mrs Chorley said she’d made good friends with 14 other families from the UK at the hospital whose children were having similar surgery.

She said: “It’s been good sharing our experiences together, the ups and the downs. I’d also, again, like to say thanks to everyone back home who made this possible and say thank you for following us on our journey.”