A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl’s prosthetic hands have been fitted with groundbreaking technology, providing her with a much improved grip.

Tilly Lockey underwent life-saving surgery after contracting a deadly form of meningitis when she was 15 months old. Tilly, of Tow Law, County Durham, has now benefited from technology used in the world’s first electronic hand, which has articulating fingers.

Touch Bionics, the Scottish company behind the groundbreaking i-Limb Hand, visited her at St Mary’s RC Primary School, in Blackhill, near Consett, yesterday, where she used one of her prosthetic hands to paint and write.

Hugh Gill, director of technology at Touch Bionics, said: “We have applied some of the latest electronic and patented software developments from our i-Limb product line to provide Tilly with improved function.

“Her device is now faster and can apply more grip force, which should help increase the range of tasks she can perform with it.”

Tilly, originally from Delves Lane, near Consett, said: “It is good because you can squeeze to close the fingers and it is better for painting.”

Her mother, Sarah Lockey, 32, is the driving force behind the Give Tilly a Hand campaign, which raises funds to ensure Tilly can access the best prosthetic hands.

She said: “She can now pick up a pen and a paintbrush without the aid of sponges for grip, which is fantastic.

“They also move faster, so it is less frustrating for her when she wants to open them and close them quickly.”

The company does not yet offer a child-sized version of its i-Limb technology.

John Huntley, clinic manager at Touch Bionics’ Centre of Excellence, said: “We are initiating a paediatric programme at the Centre of Excellence that provides the best prosthetic solution and best clinical care for child patients.”

He added: “We are working with Tilly in a trial capacity to enhance her existing prosthetic solution with Touch Bionics’ technological advances.”