A 13-YEAR-old girl with a crippling spinal condition has been commended by her school for suffering "with a smile on her face".

Tracy Timms, of Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, has had scaffolding and metal rods put round her spine to correct a 90-degree curve that threatened to kill her.

Before this month's surgery, the Roseberry Comprehensive School pupil had to wear a plastic girdle 23 hours a day to stop her spine curving further.

After 18 months of the body brace, doctors decided to operate, inserting rods into her spine and keeping them in place with internal scaffolding.

Tracy is expected to live a normal life once the muscles adjust.

Her mum, Christine Timms, of Sandyford Place, said Tracy's determination to smile through the pain has kept the whole family going.

"She was diagnosed with scholiosis three years ago, which causes the spine to bend when she grows, and it was threatening to force the spine into the lungs - she already had asthma so that would have been very dangerous.

"Doctors made her wear a special body brace for 18 months, but that didn't help. It was extremely painful and her back got even worse.

"But through all that she was always smiling and cheerful - in fact she was given a special Against the Odds award by her school for overcoming her difficulties.

"The operations were the worst bit though. There was a risk she would be paralysed if the spinal cord was damaged, but the surgeons at Middlesbrough General Hospital did a wonderful job."

Tracy still has to wear the brace if she goes outside to guard against knocks, but says all the discomfort has been worth it now she's on the mend.

She said: "I'll soon be able to everything other kids do. I'm off school until September which will give me time to adjust."