A SCHOOLGIRL has successfully undergone high-risk surgery to remove a rare and aggressive tumour.

Five-year-old Fraja Simpson is now recovering from the nine hour operation to remove 95 per cent of her neuroblastoma tumour. 

Surgeons at Leeds General Infirmary described her tumour as highly unusual - and said her body had reacted to it in a unique way.

Unlike normal neuroblastoma tumours that absorb the organs, Fraja’s tumour pushed her organs out of the way so it could be removed in one piece during Wednesday's surgery.

Her mother Michelle said: “Doctors said Fraja is unique in the way her body has reacted – we feared that she may lose the use of her legs because the main vein to the legs was surrounded by the tumour.

“But when they operated on her they found her body had produced another main blood vessel and the original one in the tumour could be safely blocked off – it is really remarkable.

“She is doing really well and has had a couple of really good hours awake with her joking with nurses.

“She has a scar that is around nine inches long – smaller than we expected –and she has called it Sally. She said Sally is there to protect her and will be her friend for life now.”

But Mrs Simpson stressed that it was not the end of Fraja’s journey – she still needs to raise half a million pounds for treatment in America to reduce the chance of the cancer returning.

She added: “Fraja still needs people to help with fundraising and has a lot of chemotherapy and radiotherapy still to go through.”

The Fraja Ellie Appeal Facebook page has currently raised around £33,000 towards the target.

*Pupils and staff at Fraja's school, Leeming RAF Community Primary School, held a "wear pink" day to show their support for the reception class pupil on Wednesday.

Many members of the community kept a candle lit for her while she was in surgery.