TWO years ago little Laura Graham from Darwen could not even eat her Christmas dinner and was so ill and had to be carried from room to room.

This year seven-year-old Laura can't wait until tomorrow to open her presents and has recently joined the school choir and started Brownies.

In December 1999 Laura was struck down with a mystery illness and was so ill she couldn't speak and had to use a wheelchair.

Her dad, Peter, 37, of Sunnybank Street said: "It just happened overnight. She got up one morning and said she felt a bit wobbly -- she obviously wasn't right.

"We took her to the health centre straight away and they phoned an ambulance, she couldn't walk, she couldn't speak and she couldn't swallow. At first they thought it was a form of chicken pox and then they thought it might be meningitis."

That Christmas Laura had to be fed through a syringe. Peter said: "We were told it could be months and months until she improved. She started to get better gradually"

A year three pupil at Holy Trinity School in Darwen, Laura is doing well although her illness has meant she has missed eight months of school. Dad said: "She needs a full time helper at school and she will always be disabled in that her speech and movement is affected."

He said people in Darwen had been very supportive. He said: "When it all happened the response was incredible and people were knocking on our door offering help.

"And when we go out in the town now people always ask us how Laura's doing. Although tests are still being carried out it is believed Laura's condition may be hereditary.

Laura and her brother Lucas, 4, are now looking forward to a happy family Christmas, Peter said: "They are both looking forward to it, they love Christmas."