Autism sufferer Beth Nixon has proved medics wrong by beating her "incurable" condition after her parents dressed up as children's characters to bring her out of her silent world.

The six-year-old has gone from a child who could not bear to be touched by her devoted parents to a loving youngster who is preparing to go to school.

Her parents Angela and Stuart refused to accept that nothing could be done to unlock Beth from her own world.

They spent up to ten hours a day working in a playroom trying to cure her condition.

Angela, 35, and Stuart, 34, from Sunderland, dressed up as characters from their daughter's books in an attempt to bring the text and pictures to life for her.

They re-enacted the storiesfom her favourite, Peter Pan, with mother as Tinkerbell and father as Captain Hook.

Other characters included Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Humpty Dumpty, Merlin the Wizard, Cinderella, and Snow White.

Beth's current favourites include pop stars like teenfavourite Britney Spears.

Angela said: "We felt a bit self conscious at first, but we quickly got into it, then moved on to all sorts of different characters.

"The difference in Beth is fantastic and it's wonderful to see the change that can happen to a child with a supposedly incurable condition.

"I hope she can prove an inspiration to other families out there.

"The only problem is that Beth takes all the best parts for herself now.

"She is always the princesses or lead characters."

After four years of hard work, at a cost of £40,000, she will soon be able to go to school - a day that her parents feared would never arrive,

The Nixons have travelled to the Option Institute in America to undergo the revolutionary Sun Rise Programme twice in the past two years. In March, the family will return to the US for Beth's final course of treatment.

The Nixons have set up a support group, Faith (Fighting autism in the home), and are appealing for £5,000 they need to get Beth her final treatment.

Anyone wishing to make a donation is asked to contact Faith on 0191-483 6040.

* A group which helps families of children with autism meets in Washington once a month.

Support for Autism meets on the first day of the month at the Millennium Centre, Concord, between 10am and noon.

Organiser Marion Madden said: "Our aim is to share news, views and concerns, and guide parents and carers through difficult times and to give them a better understanding of autism."

The group also meets in term time at Davenport School, Houghton-le-Spring, and Portland School in Sunderland.