Shropshire heart transplant girl Zoe Croft back home

Shropshire heart transplant girl Zoe Croft has made an emotional return to the county just weeks after major surgery prompted by heart failure.

The 16-year-old, from Myddle, near Wem, is back at home with her family after undergoing a lifesaving heart transplant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham last month.

Zoe is now looking forward to attending the school prom on June 28 with friends and staff from Corbet School in Baschurch, where she is a GCSE pupil.

Her father Steven Croft said Zoe returned home on Friday and is already up and about trying to sort out a dress for her prom later this month.

He said: "She is doing well. She is up and about and looking forward to her prom.

"She spent five weeks in hospital and we were at her bedside. She is happy to be home and so are we."

He added Zoe is not expected to carry on with her studies until September. Zoe first came down with what doctors thought was a virus or possibly asthma in April.

But just days later she was fighting for her life in hospital after suffering heart failure, sparking a nationwide race to find a suitable donor organ in time.

Zoe's illness caused her heart to swell to three times its normal size and her parents said she was lucky to find a suitable donor.

Mr Croft wished to thank all the staff who helped look after his daughter and said when the weather improves he hopes to host a party to raise money for the Birmingham hospital.