A TEENAGER who had plastic surgery as a child is doing her bit to help hundreds of disfigured people in the developing world.

Rachel Burnett, 17, has raised £1,101, towards a mercy mission to Sri Lanka.

The cash will be used towards the costs of corrective plastic surgery for men and women whose lives have been blighted because of a deformity, an accident or illness.

Two years ago, when she was 15, the North Yorkshire schoolgirl astonished her surgeon, Charles Viva, when she raised £2,500 to support the work of his charity Interplast UK.

Yesterday, Rachel, from Carlton Husthwaite, near Thirsk, presented the retired former Middlesbrough General Hospital surgeon with another cheque - this time for £1,101.

The cash will be used to offset the costs of Mr Viva's latest expedition to help the poor of the developing world.

Each trip costs about £11,000, which has to be covered by fundraising.

"Rachel has been absolutely wonderful. She has raised so much money for our charity," said Mr Viva, who will fly out to Sri Lanka on Friday.

During an intensive two-weeks, his Interplast team - reinforced by colleagues from Germany - aims to operate on about 200 patients.

Rachel's father, John Burnett, said: "We are very proud of her. She has made an exceptional effort and worked very hard."

Rachel, who raised the latest money by making and selling Christmas cards, said she wanted to give something back to the surgeon who had transformed her own life.

"I just think it is amazing what he does," she said.

Mr Viva attracted international publicity two years ago when he carried out corrective surgery on the acid-scarred face of Bangledeshi girl Majeeda Akhtar.

North-East businessman Javed Majid, owner of Tall Trees at Yarm, paid for Majeeda to come to the region to be treated by Mr Viva.

"She is doing very well. We have set up a fund for her," said Mr Viva, whose trip is his 30th to help the poor of the developing world.

Other members of the team include Dr Nandi Wignarajah, of North Tees Hospital, Stockton, and three nurses at South Cleveland Hospital, Middlesbrough, Carol Glasper, Patricia Driffield and Rachel Paice.

For information about Interplast UK ring (01642) 882442.