Heart transplant girl Hannah Swift has struck gold at some very special games.

Hannah, 11, from Helmsley, won two gold medals and a bronze at the Transplant Games in Belfast.

The gold medals were in the breast stroke and ball throwing and the bronze was for the obstacle race. Last year, when the games were in Merseyside, Hannah won gold for the ball throwing and silvers in the breast stroke and the obstacle race.

In October, 1996, she was close to death after a rare virus damaged her own heart, before receiving a new organ in a five-and-a-half hour operation.

Her mother, Carol, of Swifts Fisheries in Bondgate, said that following the transplant Hannah recovered in a month. She and her husband, Frank, were very proud of her.

Mrs Swift said: "Hannah is doing really, really well. She's never looked back since she had it done."

Hannah competed alongside two York boys in the Games, Andrew Watson, 17, and Jonathan Morley, 14. Andrew, an A-level student at Joseph Rowntree School had a kidney transplant four years ago and took part in the swimming, track and ball throwing events.

Jonathan, meanwhile, a pupil at All Saints' School, competed in the swimming, table tennis and shot put events.

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