AN eight-year-old girl has started her journey towards a new life as she travels to America for an operation to help her to walk unaided.

Willow Emmison-Neal, from Skipwith, near Selby has a form of cerebral palsy.

On Thursday she will undergo a procedure performed to reduce leg muscle stiffness by cutting some of the nerve fibres between the muscles and spinal cord.

Willow’s mum, Sally, said the days before today’s departure had been a mixture of nerves and excitement. She said: “It’s all very exciting, but nerve-wracking.

“Willow seems to have all of a sudden become really excited rather than really nervous.

“Finally she believes me that she won’t wake up during the operation, and all of a sudden she’s become quite giddy about it.”

Because the surgery was unavailable to Willow in the UK, a charity called Willow’s Wish was started to raise £60,000 for the treatment in America.

Willow and her sister, Olive, will today fly to St Louis with their parents, Sally and Matt, and she will undergo her first operation on Thursday.

Willow and her family want to thank everyone who helped fundraise, donated, and supported them. The Press will carry updates on Willow’s progress.