A BRAVE little girl who lost both hands to childhood meningitis has been travelling the world to promote a pioneering bionic arm inspired by a video game hero.

Tilly Lockey, from Blackhill, near Consett, County Durham, received a superhero welcome at the famous Comic-Con festival in San Diego, USA, this summer.

The 11-year-old has been helping robotics experts at Open Bionics develop the 3D printed Adam Jensen Arm since June, and has showcased the prototype at international conventions and even at the White House in Washington DC.

Inspired by the bionic arm of Adam Jensen, the hero of the Deus Ex video games, the prosthetic has allowed Tilly to do things she has never done before – from making thumbs up and okay signs, to picking up a ball and throwing it.

Tilly’s mother, Sarah Lockey, said the experience had boosted the youngster’s confidence immensely.

“This has been huge for us,” said Mrs Lockey. “We have always tried to keep Tilly at the forefront of prosthetic hand technology. We want her to feel confident and be able to do as much as possible.

“As a family, we have never been ashamed of Tilly’s disability and have never tried to cover it up. That’s why the experience with Open Bionics has been so positive.

“They are offering something different. The arm is fun and makes children feel like superheroes. Tilly loves video games and has loved every minute of this”

Tilly contracted a deadly form of meningitis called meningococcal septicaemia in 2007 when she was 15-months-old.

Her devastated parents were told to expect the worse but Tilly was a fighter and pulled through, although the impact on her body was life-changing.

Both of her hands were amputated, she has lost all of her toes and is in pain every day with her legs.

However, she never complains and has grown into a bright little girl, who loves to act, sing and play computer games with her three sisters.

Mrs Lockey, 37, said she had promised her daughter immediately before the amputations that she would do everything in her power to give her her hands back, adding: “To this day I continue to keep that promise.”

“Tilly never really liked prosthetic hands before now. She found them difficult and clumsy. The Open Bionics prototype has changed how she feels about them. We can’t wait to try it out at home.”

The Lockey family has raised thousands of pounds for meningitis charities over the years.

They also set up the Give Tilly a Hand appeal to raise awareness and provide funds for Tilly’s future needs, including the update and renewal of prosthetics.

To find out more, visit givetillyahand.com