Girl from County Durham with no hands chosen to model
A County Durham girl who lost both her hands to meningitis has won a modelling contract.
Tilly Lockey, from Tow Law, lost her hands and toes to the disease when she was 15 months old.
The four-year-old has now been signed up to the books of North East agency Tyne Tees Models.
Her family has set up an ongoing fundraising campaign to provide Tilly with prosthetic hands.
Her mother Sarah said the contract had given her daughter a major boost.
She said: "Because she has got no hands doesn't take away the fact that she is one beautiful child and she has got a great personality.
"It has given her so much more confidence and I think it would be great to take the stigma away. Why should you always look so perfect being a model?"
Head of the agency Lesley Lister said she hoped more people would consider using disabled models.
She said: "There is no reason in my eyes why I think she couldn't model.
"I think she is terrific."