THE family of a 12-year-old who has just undergone spinal surgery in Germany say she is recovering well.

Lauren Rennie, from Ushaw Moor, near Durham, travelled to Germany on Monday for a life-changing operation on her back, which has a 54 degree bend as a result of scoliosis, which she has had since she was a baby.

She had surgery on Wednesday and is now recovering.

Her mum, Joanne Rennie, said: “It’s a weight of our shoulders to know it’s gone well.

“Twenty-four hours after her operation she managed to stand on her feet. She’s amazing.”

The community has helped raise around £21,000 for the operation, which was not available in the UK.

The Durham Johnston School pupil was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 14 months old and has undergone numerous treatments throughout her life, including spending several years living in a full body cast.

Her parents wanted her to have the vertebral body tethering (VBT) operation instead of NHS treatment, because they hope it will give the sports-loving youngster better quality of life.