BRAVE Lisa Edmondson has already received her first Christmas present - a new foot which will help her return to her loves of dancing, swimming and running.

She had to have most of her left foot amputated after an accident with a bus in Bacup town centre in the summer.

But now she has a prosthetic foot, made in America, which she slides over her calf and ankle and hopefully by next Easter her stump and calf muscles will be strong enough to support a smaller foot which will attach just to her ankle.

Ten-year-old Lisa, from Grasmere Terrace, Bacup, went to Manchester's Withington Hospital with her dad Keith to have the new foot fitted.

She said: "It felt a bit strange, like having something attached to me not like my real foot.

"I was a bit nervous and I was a bit shy about standing up on it in the hospital."

Lisa soon learned how to attach the foot herself and remove it and can walk on it with the aid of crutches.

Her mum Beverley said: "It is a bit heavy for her but she starts physiotherapy at Rossendale Hospital this week which build her up and make it easier for her to use the foot. "The doctors are sure once she gets the smaller version fitted she will be able to look forward to doing all the things she used to do."

Lisa said: "They have told me I will be able dance and skip and I used to go swimming with school."

Lisa is currently attending Easden Clough tutorial assessment in Burnley but hopes soon to be able to go back to school with her pals at Thorn Primary.

She was crossing the road in Bacup when the accident happened in July and a bus ran over her foot.

She was taken by air ambulance to Withington where surgeons managed to save her ankle and lower leg by pinning the bones back together. They also saved the nerve endings which should help her once she gets the smaller foot next year. Local pubs and businesses raised money for Lisa which helped her pay for her new 'orange' bedroom. More money was raised at a charity event at the George and Dragon in Bacup when ex-Ivy League members The Cresters entertained along with Chris Duerden of CD Disco and there was an auction, raffle and tombola.

Carol McLoughlin, landlady, said: "We got a lot of support from local businesses and special thanks to Leslie Sudrick, for helping to organise, Donal O'Connor for the tickets, staff who helped on the day and customers. The pub made the total up to £1,000."

The money has been placed in a trust fund for when Lisa is 18.

Lancashire Ambulance have made Lisa a member of the Heli-angels the Helicopter Membership Club for children and she had been invited to meet staff and see the helicopter on December 19.

She still attends Withington once a month for check-ups and the Christmas present list - well it now includes a computer and clothes!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.