A LITTLE girl who has endured two painful facial operations in the past two years is preparing to meet the Queen.

Bubbly Katie Meehan, from South Shields, South Tyneside, has been chosen to hand a bouquet to the Queen when she visits her school in May.

The Queen will be visiting St Joseph's School, in Jarrow, as part of her Golden Jubilee tour of the country.

Six-year-old Katie, who has a rare facial condition, cystic hygroma, has been practising hard for her big day.

Mother Dawn Meehan said: "The school decided to choose Katie because she's always smiling and because of her bravery.

"She's over the moon about it. She's been practising her curtsies, but I'm terrified about what she's going to say.

"She's been asking a lot of questions. She asked if she was allowed to call her Elizabeth, but we've explained that she's got to be polite and call her Your Majesty.

"She also keeps asking why she hasn't got a King and says she must be really lonely without one."

Katie's condition causes her face and tongue to swell and she has spent much of her life in and out of hospitals.

Renowned surgeon Professor Ian Jackson has already performed two successful operations.

She was due to have a third this month to further reduce her face and tongue, but that has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Katie, who has become a celebrity in her home town following a massive fundraising campaign to help pay for her treatment, has always wanted to meet the Queen.

Mrs Meehan said: "We always walk past Buckingham Palace when we go to London and she did write a letter to the Queen to ask if she could come to the hospital and visit her, or if she could go to the palace for a cup of tea.