BRAVE Victoria Martseva is a little girl with a big dream - to have perfect sight.

Now, thanks to a kind-hearted businessman and staff at Royal Preston Hospital, the 12-year-old from Belarus, in Russia, will have her wish come true.

Victoria suffers from a severe turn in her right eye which prevents her from focusing properly. She needs an operation to stop the condition affecting her other eye.

Now the happy youngster is to come to Preston for the operation that could change her life.

But the £1,650 treatment would not have been possible without the help of Fulwood Hall Hospital which put up the bulk of the cash. And hairdresser, Neil Hull, owner of House of Hair, in Friargate, donated all his Millennium takings to the cause, while consultant ophthalmologist Adel Ekdawy, and an anaesthetist on his RPH team, have agreed to operate for free.

As a child born after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster around 15 years ago, Victoria is no stranger to medical care. She has already had painful treatment to correct a curvature of the spine.

But despite living in a cramped two-bedroomed high-rise flat with her parents and two siblings, the undernourished girl remains happy and looks forward to the future.

Ken Johnstone, of the Preston branch of the Medicine and Chernobyl charity, said: "Victoria is a very intelligent and bright little girl. She has even started to learn English.

"But where she lives there are many children affected by the nuclear disaster and need a lot of help and support.

"Just one month in this country changes their life so dramatically."

To donate money to the charity call treasurer Domonic Swarbrick on (01772) 713396.

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