A LITTLE girl fighting cancer has been given metal bones that can be extended as she grows.

Lily Willis, aged eight, of Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was found to have a cancerous bone tumour, called osteosarcoma, in her right leg in February.

Her entire knee, tibia and part of her femur were removed and rebuilt with stainless steel adjustable bones.

Doctors will be able to lengthen the bones in her shin and thigh as she gets bigger.

Her mother, Tori, 30, said her daughter came home one day with a sore ankle after doing cross-country but she and husband Bryan, 40, thought it was just a sprain.

The pain did not go away and a few weeks later Lily had an X-ray that revealed the tumour.

Mrs Willis said: “When we were told Lily had the disease, I think my heart stopped for a second.

My little girl had cancer. No parent should have to hear that.

“I thought she was going to die.

We asked doctors if she was going to be OK, but it was a question they couldn’t answer. They just looked at us sympathetically.”

Lily underwent chemotherapy before her knee and tibia bones were removed in a 14-hour operation at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary .

Mr Willis, a former mechanic, said: “Lily was so poorly. The chemotherapy hit her hard. She also contracted pneumonia, a strain which doctors said was the worst they had seen, after her lung collapsed.”

All the muscles, tendons and blood vessels were reconstructed around the new bones, and skin from her left thigh was stretched around them.

She will need more chemotherapy to ensure all cancerous cells have been destroyed before she gets the all-clear.

Lily’s new bones will last until she is 14 when they will be replaced with adult-sized ones.

Mr and Mrs Willis, who have two other daughters, Jessy, five, and Ruby, two, gave up their jobs to care for her.

“It will be a while before Lily can walk independently as she has to build up the muscles again in her legs, but she is doing brilliantly.

We are all so proud of her,” her mother added.

“She has never once moaned about being poorly.

“Lily’s an inspiration to us all and we can’t wait to get her back to normal.

“She’s our little fighter.”

Lily said: “I think my leg is really great. I can’t walk on it right now but I will be able to in the future.

“I show my friends my leg and they think it’s amazing. It hurts a little but I’m really pleased.”

Lily could have faced having her leg amputated had she not had the bones in her leg removed and replaced with metal.