A brave girl who won the hearts of Evening Mail readers after losing a leg when she was hit by a police car was celebrating her 12th birthday today.
Plucky Sadie Stevens, of Geach Street, Newtown, said she was determined not to let the torment of the past few months spoil her big day.
Parents Brian and Karen were treating Sadie to cakes and her birthday wish of some new porcelain dolls.
Her brothers and sisters Stacey, 17, Dwaine, 16, Craig, 15, Nikki, nine, and seven-year-old Jason were joining in the fun.
But Sadie's best present is news that she can return to Holte Secondary School, in Lozells, to see friends and work with a tutor three days a week after half-term.
Her unemployed former steelworker dad Brian, aged 52, said: "Sadie is doing just great and today is very different as it is her first birthday without her leg.
"But she is coming to terms with the loss so well and even preparing to go back to school on a part-time basis.
"It's the little things that frustrate Sadie, like she can't go ice skating or play on a bouncy castle. We had bouncy castles for the other children and Sadie had to sit and watch in her wheelchair."
The youngster had her right leg amputated to the knee after she was hit by an unmarked police car on a pedestrian crossing on the A34 Birchfield Road on February 7.
Since then, generous Evening Mail readers have raised £3,800.
EastEnders' Shane Richie, pop group Busted and Paul McCartney's wife Heather Mills have all sent messages of support to the youngster.
