Nine months ago Danielle Skilbeck was battling a killer bug - but today she has regained her independence.

The birth of her new baby sister Jamie Lee is just one of the many things the five-year-old is now able to enjoy.

Last July Danielle was in a critical condition fighting meningitis at St James's Hospital, Leeds. She survived but lost the lower half of her legs and her hands.

She has had to deal with the loss of her limbs and has been attending hospital sessions to learn how to walk with prosthetic legs.

The courageous youngster has now regained her independence and has started attending school.

For most children their first day at school is a terrifying experience but for Danielle it was a dream come true.

She had been due to start at Ashfield School, Otley, last September but was too ill and it was uncertain whether she would be able to attend a mainstream school.

But she has defeated the odds and has started attending Ashfield School every afternoon and her mum Lindsey Pollard says that she loves it so much she wants to go at the weekend.

"When Danielle came out of hospital she was afraid about going to school," she said.

"Before she went into hospital she was looking forward to it but because she was different to the other children she didn't want to go.

"She started at Ashfield recently and now she loves it, she can't get enough of it and at the weekends she asks me when she can go back."

When the Wharfedale Observer spoke to Danielle in the intensive care unit last year she said that she did not want to go to school because she was afraid.

The change in the youngster is remarkable and her mum is delighted.

"She really has got her independence back. When she was in hospital she would try and feed herself, as the nurses strapped a spoon to her arm and she would draw pictures.

"Now she can now go up and down stairs on her own, she can get in and out of bed on her own, go to the toilet, dress herself and feed herself. She really has got her independence back.

"She thinks school is fantastic and goes every afternoon. She is doing really well there. The change in her has been amazing."

Danielle is even playing a big role in caring for her baby sister.

"She loves her new little sister," said Lindsey. "Both her and her other sister Tia are great with her, they are real mothers. They keep saying mummy she's crying or asking if she needs feeding."

Danielle's next challenge is learning how to walk, she is attending sessions to teach her how to use her prosthetic legs and is improving every time she goes.

Lindsey added: "She is coming on but still needs support and she occasionally falls over. She didn't like wearing them at first but now she is getting better and trying hard."