Olivia's singing for joy
Inspirational youngster Olivia Burton-Laws – who was born profoundly deaf – can hear and sing Christmas carols for the first time thanks to her cochlear implant.
The three-year-old, of Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, starred as an angel in Knottingley Bright Sparks Nursery's nativity play, a year after having a pioneering cochlear implant operation.
Her proud mum Helen, 42, said: "It was fantastic to hear her singing – since she had the operation she's been learning new things every day."
The youngster, who has a six-year-old brother, William, was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf at the age of two.
The family were offered hope through a cochlear implant, where an electronic device to stimulate any functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea was surgically implanted under the skin behind Olivia's ear.
Catherine Lunn, foundation unit teacher, said: "She's made wonderful progress, with the support of her Trudi Glasby, her support assistant.
"She took part fully in the play and really enjoyed performing with the other children. She was singing all the way through and doing all the actions. It's been lovely to see her grow and see the development of her speech and hearing ability."
Olivia's story was first told to ITV Yorkshire.
Photo courtesy of Pontefract & Castleford Express
