A brave schoolgirl has decided to have her leg amputated – because she wants to become a world-class athlete.

Danielle Bradshaw, 11, does not need to have her useless right leg removed but has chosen to go under the knife in a bid for sporting glory as a Paralympian.

Danielle, from Newton in Hyde, has a healthy left leg but says she does not want to spend the rest of her life ‘dragging the other one’ behind her.

Surgeons told her they could perform a number of operations and skin grafts on the limb, which has been damaged since birth.

They said the work would enable Danielle, a pupil at Flowery Field Primary in Hyde, to keep it but admitted that she would not be able to use it.

Tired of repeated trips to hospital and having to watch her friends play out without her, and inspired by gold medals, Danielle stunned her parents by declaring she wants to have it amputated. They agreed and she will have the operation in Sheffield in August.

When the wound heals she will be fitted with a prosthetic replacement and friends are already rallying round to raise money for a running blade and sports wheelchair.

Danielle was born with congenital dislocation of both hips and her right knee.

She said: “I’m not scared, I’m excited. I can’t wait for it to be done so I can start running and training.”

She said that seeing documentaries about soldiers who had lost limbs overseas and watching Heather Mills on Dancing On Ice helped her make her decision.

She said: “I saw that and it helped make my mind up. And I am sick of all the operations. I just want to be a normal kid. I see people running and I want to know how that feels.”

Mum Debbie Quigley, 36, said: “Danielle suggested it to the doctors. They could have done re-constructive surgery but she said: ‘What’s the point of dragging around something that doesn’t work?’.”

Debbie said Danielle, who has to wear a special shoe, has already set her sights on a post-op shopping trip. “I’ve promised her that when it’s done we can go and get her a pair of shoes that match,” she said.

Danielle’s stepfather, Darren Quigley, 49, added: “We couldn’t get our heads around it at first. But when we heard the options it makes sense.”

Friends and teachers of Danielle were so impressed by her determination they have organised a fund-raising fun day on Sunday, at the Crown and Cushion pub, Victoria Street, Newton from 2pm.

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