BRAVE teenager Lara Aitken has come through a cancer scare and will model her mother’s clothes in a catwalk show to launch York’s first Fashion Week.

Lara Aitken, 17 – daughter of York designer Antonia Aitken – feared she would lose her smile forever after undergoing surgery on her neck just two months ago to remove a tumour in her salivary gland.

Surgeons warned her that nerve damage may leave her unable to smile properly following the three-hour op – as well as a 15-cm scar on her neck.

But the plucky teen, a pupil at All Saint’s RC School in York, has made a full recovery - and got her smile back in time to hit the catwalk for her mother’s fashion show, which opens York Fashion Week on Monday.

The sold-out event, at Bettys, St Helen’s Square, will see Antonia launch her new label – Antonia Houston Couture – with a collection of bespoke pieces in Yorkshire wool and luxury silks.

Lara, who is studying for A Levels in photography, art and biology, will wear several of her mum’s designs in the show, some of which will show the scar.

Lara said: “I didn’t want to cover it up in make-up because I can’t hide from the fact I have a scar now.

“I don’t really mind the scar so much, because it’s just a scar under my neck. The thing that scared me the most was the risk I would never be able to smile again. But luckily it’s come back.”

The cancer scare began just before Christmas when Lara noticed a lump in her neck. Two biopsies revealed she had pleomorphic adenoma – the most common salivary gland tumour – and the advice was to remove it immediately, while it was still benign.

While Lara underwent tests and surgeries, Antonia was working to meet her Fashion Week deadlines – besides the launch of Yorkshire Dandy at Bettys, she has made garments for two other events.

She said throwing herself into work kept her mind from thinking and fearing the worst. "Yorkshire Dandy kept me sane," said Antonia.

Lara has made a full recovery and mum and daughter say they are looking forward to taking a holiday together as soon as they can.

Read more about York designer Antonia in today’s centre pages – and all the latest York Fashion Week news.