SMILING youngster Daisy Hancox has every reason to look happy.

She is hoping to start at Berry Brow Infant School in January, having survived a serious strain of meningitis.

She is learning to hear and to speak again after a successful cochlear implant.

And she was honoured by the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Barbara Allonby, at the annual Children of Courage Awards at Huddersfield Town Hall.

Daisy and her mum, Julie, were joined by the rest of their family as they celebrated at a big party.

Meningitis destroyed three-year-old Daisy's hearing when she was just seven weeks old.

But now, after receiving a £20,000 cochlear implant - a complex electronic device - on the NHS, Daisy is hearing again and is rapidly catching up on her speech.

Mother-of-10 Mrs Hancox, of Lower Park, Berry Brow, said: "She is doing really well.

"The implant broke in the spring and she had another implant in May but now she is learning rapidly."

She goes to the Elizabeth Foundation in Bradford just one day a week and for the rest of the time she is with nursery children in Berry Brow.

"That's the best thing, because being with other children helps her to hear and to speak.

"We had a great day out yesterday and Daisy loved every minute of it," said Julie.