THE mother of a young girl from York says the life-changing operation funded by public donations has been a success.

Eight-year-old Poppy Wadsworth was born with a condition called cloaca, which meant several of her internal organs were not properly separated.

Her family and friends started a fundraising campaign earlier this year to raise £50,000 and send her to the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, after doctors offered to contribute half the cost of a £100,000 corrective operation.

They reached their target in August, and flew out to the USA two weeks ago for preparatory procedures, and the main operation took place last week.

Alison Wadsworth, Poppy's mother, said the operation had gone well, but Poppy was already preparing for further procedures on her return to the UK.

She said: "What a roller coaster it's been. Poppy is doing amazing, and Dr Marc Levitt and his team have been amazing.

"The operation has been a success. Poppy will have her stoma reversed back at Leeds General Infirmary when her wounds have healed. It took them two hours just took get through the scar tissue but once they got over that hurdle they where able to get everything fixed. Thank you again to all the lovely kind people who gave her the chance to make this possible."

Poppy was named one of the Children of the Year at The Press' Community Pride Awards in October, and Alison has previously told The Press the ceremony helped her get over her nerves about the operation.

She said: "The Community Pride Awards gave her such a boost. She was really worried and saying she didn't want to do it any more, she was happy with the stoma bag, but having those awards has given her a massive turnaround."

Alison said Poppy was the first British person ever to have undergone a procedure at that department of the Nationwide Children's Hospital, and said the family felt "honoured" to have had the support of the hospital and the public in arranging the procedure.