Toddler who had spinal surgery while still in the WOMB has astonished doctors by taking her first steps

Frankie Lavis, from Plymouth, was diagnosed with spina bifida - a condition which causes her spine to not develop properly - during her mother's 20-week scan (top left). 


Surgeons operated on her while her mother was in the 24th week of pregnancy - just two weeks short of the time limit for such an invasive procedure. She became the first baby in Britain to have pioneering spinal surgery while inside the womb. It was touch and go whether she would survive and her parents were told she would still spend her life in a wheelchair. However, the operation was a success and she was still able to use her lower body when she was born (bottom left). And now aged two, Frankie has defied all expectations and can walk with a frame (right) better than her parents ever imagined.