FORMER prime minister John Major joined some of the country's most senior education workers recently - in order to listen to the views of a 16-year-old North-East girl.

The determination of Sarah Thompson, from Sunderland, in dealing with her life-time struggle with dyslexia was so impressive that she has won the Child of Achievement Award but was then asked to tell her story at a one-off discussion.

So eloquent was the teenager when discussing how she dealt with the condition that she was one of just five out of 150 Child of Achievement winners and 5,000 entrants to speak to VIPs, celebrities and influential policy makers.

Sarah's mother, Carole, said that her daughter was pleased to tell of her experiences, in the hope that life would become easier for the next generation of dyslexia sufferers.

She said: "She was first diagnosed when she was just eight and had to get help from the Dyslexia Institute in Newcastle.

"She improved tremendously but still had to take her GCSEs earlier this year when she only had a reading age of ten.

"It was very difficult but she is extremely determined".

Sarah has taken up an apprenticeship in hairdressing and also works at a hair salon in Sunderland.

The discussion, which was held at Teddington Studios in Middlesex earlier this month, will be televised this weekend on Sky World News on either Saturday or Sunday according to programming schedules.

Sarah received her Child of Achievement award in February.