A TEENAGER who has scoliosis is just £7,000 off reaching her goal to have spinal surgery which could give her a pain-free future.

Imogen Bridge, 14, from Pendle Avenue, Bacup, is now booked to fly out with mum Melly in November to Istanbul for the operation to realign her back.

Midge, as Imogen is known, has scoliosis and has been wearing specialist back braces as her corkscrew spine has a 44 degree curve.

In the UK she was offered spinal fusion, but as Midge has hypermobility she needed an operation that caters for her flexibility.

The overseas operation, which will take place in Turkey under leading surgeon Dr Ahmet Alanay, is a double vertebral body tethering (VBT).

This procedure involves screwing a flexible cord to each vertebrae to bring them back into alignment.

Melly has been leading a fundraising campaign to raise £45,000 to pay for her daughter’s operation, which is currently not available on the NHS.

The family had single-handedly raised £8,000 by last Tuesday. however, after Granada Reports gave the family coverage, donations have flooded in.

Melly said: “We have now raised more than £38,000; that is £30,000 in just one week since it was on the TV. I am amazed and can’t believe it.

"There is no way a family like us could have been able to raise that amount of money in the time and I am so grateful.

“That day our supermarket delivery had not turned up, so I was in Asda shopping and when I got out my phone just kept on binging. I just thought it was someone responding to our Facebook page, then I realised so many people had wanted to donate the online charity page just could not keep up.”

As more than half of the money has been raised, they have been able to book the operation and now they are counting down the days to the flight.

Midge said: “When I sit in one spot for too long it hurts so I have to move continually.”

Melly added: “This operation will give my daughter the best chance for her future and I am so grateful to everyone who has donated.”

To donate visit just4children.org/children-helped2020/midges-scoliosis-journey/?fbclid=IwAR1norzAG2q1ziTuW-8P9TD3DFDFz1flMKNgAHP8zLh7fZXx_xyJY7Smcyw