Twinkle-toed Laura Long could only ever dream of tripping the light fantastic with her favourite stars from Strictly Come Dancing. But millions of viewers will see the the plucky 11-year-old's Christmas wish come true tomorrow - with a little help from 'fairy godmother' Dale Winton. Cystic fibrosis sufferer Laura, of Frankton Grove, Bordesley Green, has spent months making life bearable for other sick young patients at Heartlands Hospital. So nurses thought it was about time Laura got a very special gift in return. They nominated her for BBC1's Dear Father Christmas show, which saw Laura whisked off to the Strictly Come Dancing final in Blackpool to meet, and dance with, her idols. "It was amazing," said Laura, a pupil at Blakesley Hall School, in Yardley. "I was very nervous, but I was with my favourite dancer Darren Bennet and he led me round the floor. "Jill Halfpenny was funny but Natasha Kaplinsky was the nicest person. We sat talking in her dressing room for ages. "It was the best Christmas present I could have ever imagined." Parents Julie Walker and Michael Long watched on with pride as Laura took her turn on the dancefloor at Blackpool tower. Mum-of-eight Julie, a 42-year-old cleaner, said: "Laura would tape Strictly Come Dancing and watch it over and over again, so it really was a very special treat for her. "She dances round the house from room to room now and never seems to walk!" Despite spending months in hospital with her illness, Laura collected £350 worth of 20p coins for toys and walkie talkies to make hospital stays more fun for patients. Laura, a regular at Betty Fox Stage School, came up with the idea of walkie talkies as she is often isolated on the ward unable to chat with other youngsters. Marie Deehan, nursery nurse on the children's unit at Heartlands Hospital, who nominated Laura, said: "Laura spends a lot of time in hospital, yet is always so jolly. "She helps children who are new to the ward to not be afraid, she reassures parents and she keeps the staff on their toes. "Laura is always doing things for other people so I felt it was about time someone did something for her." Laura was born with cystic fibrosis, which affects the lungs and digestive system and means continuous hospital treatment and physiotherapy. | 
