An inspirational Thetford youngster who underwent major surgery on her spine is back at home and has even been back to school to take part in exams.

An inspirational Thetford youngster who underwent major surgery on her spine is back at home and has even been back to school to take part in exams.

Nine-year-old Eden King, who has muscular dystrophy, amazed doctors when she drove herself in her electric wheelchair back to her ward from intensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital just hours after being taken off a ventilator.

That was only weeks ago and now the plucky youngster has been back to school and last week took part in a dance exam.

Parents Rod and Kate King said she had amazed everyone with how quickly she has bounced back from the operation.

It saw her spine pinned straight as it had been collapsing, because her muscles are affected by MS, and was crushing her lungs.

Father Rod said: “Her determination is remarkable. She has amazed everybody. She doesn't complain and within four hours of coming off the ventilator she was put in her chair and drove herself back from intensive care to the ward.

“She was told no-one had ever done that before but she said 'well I am' and drove herself back.”

When she arrived back at her home in Thetford she was given a special surprise by Kate's twin sister Karen Booth who with family and friends had arranged to have her room decorated.

It was a downstairs study converted into her room.

Staff at Tesco in Thetford also raised cash to pay for a flatscreen television for the room.

She has also been given a laptop by her school, Cherry Trees, after they fundraised so she can keep in touch with school friends and make it easier for her to write.