A GIRL who lost her right eye and was "millimetres from death" after being kicked by a horse today vowed to get back in the saddle.

Anya Wheatcroft, 16, of Waddington Road, Accrington, said: "I'm addicted to horses."

And the brave girl impressed her cousin Jade Wheatcroft, of Clayton-le-Moors, so much that she was nominated for a Lancashire Evening Telegraph Pride of East Lancashire Child of Courage Award.

Anya was kicked by her friend's horse Rosey at Icconhurst Farm, Green Haworth, on Thursday September 18.

She underwent an operation to fix her broken jaw, cheekbone and fractured skull and to place three metal plates in her face.

But surgeons could not save her right eyeball. The kick has also left her with a scar across her cheekbone.

She said: "I'm lucky. If it had been a couple of millimetres across it would have kicked my eye and I wouldn't be here."

Anya has since had another operation to clean and restitch her face and has trouble with touch, taste and hearing. The former pupil at Mount Carmel RC High, Oswaldtwistle, is studying at Crow Wood Equestrian Centre, Burnley, for her first diploma in horse care. She said: "I am a bit upset about losing my eye but my family have been wonderful and have really helped me through this. I couldn't have done it without them.

"I will have a false one but as all my muscles are OK it will move around properly like the other and I will be able to blink, so hopefully it won't look any different," she said.

mJade said: "When we told her about the news she was the only one not crying and she was saying, 'I am still alive and I have another eye, don't cry'.

"I can't believe she still wants to ride horses. I love her to bits."

Anya's mum Tracy Meath, 37, of Mansion Street South, Accrington, said: "She said she was still alive and we should be grateful."