A LITTLE girl whose heart operation plight triggered a rallying response from readers is bouncing back to full health after surgery last week.

The three-year-old's mother Louise Ferguson was this week full of joy after Friday's successful operation at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital to repair a 13mm hole in Skye's heart.

The tot sailed through surgery without a hitch after months of setbacks – more than making up for all the hold-ups and disappointments caused by Skye's ill health.

Her mum described her recovery as 'miraculous' after what was supposed to be a four or five-hour operation only took an hour-and-a-half.

Within half an hour of waking Skye was keen to start playing and was allowed home the next day – delighting her family and medics who said it couldn't have been more straightforward.

Ms Ferguson, 26, said: 'She has done really well. There were no complications but they have found another small hole at the back of her heart which didn't show up on the scans. They are going to try and leave that for another two or three years and hope that it will close on its own. She was a bit quiet when she first came round but was soon keen to start playing again.

'She totally went with the flow. Obviously she didn't like it when they had to put needles in her hand and things like that and as they put her under she started to mumble and her last words were 'I love you mummy' and that really made me cry. She is doing amazingly well.'

Ms Ferguson and partner Tyler, 25, took Skye to London by train on Thursday – something they didn't think possible a few months ago with every penny of their shoe-string budget accounted for and still in debt over a previous hospital visit.

Their story touched the hearts of readers who handed over hundreds of pounds, so the family could be sure of getting Skye the treatment she needed.

'That was so helpful,' Ms Ferguson said. 'A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders, the relief was amazing. And everything was so expensive in London, we could never have done it on our own. I really do appreciate the help and want to thank everyone. I cannot believe it, I am so chuffed that it is over and done with.'

This week Skye was supposed to be resting at home in Swirles Place, Great Yarmouth, with her siblings James, eight, Kelsie, six and Callum, five, but wasn't keen on putting her feet up and was full of beans.

Skye still needs medication and frequent check-ups which her mother hopes will take place at Gorleston's James Paget University Hospital with the London consultant travelling up to see her.

Ms Ferguson was also keen to thank a number of people she had hoped to phone but whose numbers were lost when her computer went wrong.