TV date for county stroke victim, 3

A three-year-old Shropshire girl who doctors feared would never walk again after she suffered a rare stroke due to contracting chicken pox was due to appear on the nation's TV screens today.

Blossom Burton of Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, was left paralysed down her left side and spent a month in intensive care at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Three months on and Blossom, who wears a foot splint, is going from strength-to-strength.

It follows intensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

And her parents Helen, 35, and Richard, 37, and sister Olivia, 10, are delighted with her progress.

After appearing in the local media, Blossom's plight caught the attention of the national media and she was invited to appear on today's This Morning programme on ITV 1.

Mrs Burton, who travelled down to London yesterday with her daughters, said they were delighted to be invited to appear on the show.

National

She said: "Once the story went in the national papers we had a telegram from This Morning saying they would be really interested in covering Blossom's story.

"I didn't tell many people about us going on, only close family as I didn't want the added pressure of knowing people were watching.

"Blossom is doing very well but she's still got a long way to go in terms of getting her independence. She is not able to do a lot of the things she should be able to do at her age."

The family also received a boost to their fundraising appeal for Blossom from Shropshire man Ivor Rowley, who has written a special Christmas song to help raise cash towards physiotherapy costs and help secure specialist equipment for her during her rehabilitation.

Merry, Merry Christmas Time has been produced by Mr Rowley and recorded with a group of musicians from Oakengates in Telford.

Ms Francis said: "We hope to sell the song in order to raise money for her ongoing rehabilitation to become independent again. We are selling CDs of the track for a minimum donation of £2.50. I hope we can raise at least £1,000 for Blossom."

Mrs Burton said the family was extremely grateful to the team behind the charity song and said they hoped national coverage of Blossom's condition would raise awareness about the dangers of strokes which can affect children.

By Russell Roberts