Great-gran who risked her life for a facelift is so pleased with the results she's saving to go under the knife again
Video by: Paul Davey
A great-gran who risked her life for a facelift is so pleased with the results she's saving to go under the knife again.
Toni Goldenberg became one of the oldest people in the country to have a lower face lift, ridding her of a dreaded 'turkey neck' and making her look years younger.
The 80-year-old said it was like a dream come true when she looked in the mirror for the first time after the her three-and-a-half hour procedure and saw "the old woman had gone."
She began saving her pension five years ago for the £10,000 procedure and has already began putting money away in her giant Coca Cola bottle for an upper face lift.
Toni, from Wallington in south London, said: "I feet absolutely fantastic. It's like a dream come true.
"The old woman has gone and I hope she doesn't come back.
"When I look in the mirror, I thought I looked like a completely different person.
"But now I just see me and I forget what I looked like before.
"My neck and jowls made me look cross and miserable but now I look fresh and happy.
"You could not ask for anything better, especially at my age."
Image by: Paul Davey
Doctors warned Toni could be left partially paralysed or even die from surgery and that the risks of general anaesthetic were much greater at her age.
But she was determined to fulfil her long-held dream and told doctors "at least I would look good in my coffin."
She said: "I was told that I could die or that half of my face could be paralysed but I was willing to take that chance at my age.
"There is no use worrying if you are going to die - you go out onto the street and get run over or die at any moment.
"I understood the risks but I told the doctor 'at least I would look good in my coffin.'"
Toni, who was widowed 46 years ago, underwent extensive tests to evaluate her suitability for surgery and assessed her medical history, general health and level fitness.
She also faced a risk of poor wound healing and even tissue necrosis - where skin cells break down and die.
Toni said: "I was not really that nervous before the operation.
"When they put me on the operating table, I started to think about it all but then the anaesthetist said he was going to give me some drugs.
"I didn't have time to think or worry it and the next thing I remember was waking up in bed after the op.
"Everybody at Harley Street was fantastic, I couldn't recommend them enough."
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Jon Mills
Toni went under the knife at the world renowned Harley Street Skin Clinic on February 15.
While she insisted she is "too old for romance" Toni's new fresh look has done wonders for her confidence and she is set to start yoga and gym classes.
She said: "I am too old to get back in the dating game but I would consider going out for a nice meal with somebody and sharing a man's company.
"I feel much more confident and plan to go to the gym every day except for Tuesdays when I look after my great-granddaughter."
Toni, who has two great-grandchildren, saved for the £10,000 op by putting all her loose change in a giant Coca-Cola bottle.
She filled her "face lift fund" with spare pennies from her pension before starting again with pound coins and again with only £5 notes.
Toni is now saving for a £6,000 upper face lift which she expects to have before the age of 85.
She said: "I am already using my Coca Cola bottle - I was saving for some new clothes but I will have to go to the charity shop for them now.
"I look in the mirror now and I see the baggy eyes so I'm saving up again to have the area around my eyes and forehead lifted - that will be another few years.
"My friends said it's the best thing I've ever done and they have already chipped in towards my next face lift."
Six weeks on from surgery, the Harley Street team are impressed by Toni's "extraordinary" and speedy recovery.
Image by: Jon Mills
Image by: Paul Davey
Lesley Reynolds, co-founder of Harley Street Skin Clinic, said: "Toni surprised us all by her swift recovery from the surgery which is a testament to her tremendous energy and force of life.
"Her general health is such that she bounced back very quickly after the operation - her bruising and swelling were minimal.
"This is in part due to the skills of our surgeon Mr Hagen Schumacher and the anaesthetist, but also perhaps down to Toni's general health.
"Usually people of Toni's age have some sort of health issues that would increase the risk of a general anaesthetic to the point of it not being advisable to have cosmetic surgery."
Surgeon Mr Schumacher told Toni that the results will continue to improve over the next year.
Toni said: "After the surgery, I had a bit of swelling for a few days but no pain at all – it was brilliant.
"It will take a year for it to be completely healed so it will just keep getting better.
"The surgeon was really, really good and I would recommend him to anybody."
The great-grandmother began dreaming of having cosmetic surgery in her 20s when she noticed wrinkles appearing on her face.
She has always worked hard to maintain a size ten and had hoped she would take after her mother, who had "barely any wrinkles" before she died aged 84.
But as she grew older, Toni felt her face no longer matched her body.
She said: "I expected my skin would age in the same way as my mum but it didn't.
"I had wanted it done for decades and decades - I would read about it in the papers and I did a lot of research."
She added: "People won't tell you if they've had a face lift - they don't talk about it but I think people should.
"It has made an awful lot of difference to my confidence and I feel a lot better about myself - I don't even wear make up.
"I'm so pleased with it - it looks natural rather than having that drawn, wind-swept look.
"I can't wait to have the area around my eyes and brows lifted to match."
Giant lizard which was banned from a park is now allowed to enter on condition his owner keeps him on a lead
Video by: Ashley Moran
A dad-of-one has been ordered to keep his huge pet lizard on a LEAD while walking it in a park – after it scared other dogs.
Gary Smith, 54, was originally banned from taking his black-throated monitor called Thor out for a stroll after a string of complaints.
Dozens of dog owners and park users said they were worried the three-stone 5ft-long critter would attack their pets or even injure children.
But town hall chiefs agreed to lift the ban if Gary agreed to keep Thor on a lead while in Markeaton Park, Derby.
Gary bought Thor ten months ago to go with his collection of 31 snakes, six lizards and seven spiders which he keeps at his home in Sinfin, Derby.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
The lorry driver said: "I had reached an agreement with the council to say it's ok to walk as long as he is on a lead, just like a dog.
"I mainly walk him for exercise and fresh air.
"Also I just like to let people see him and maybe experience touching him.
"He can run really quickly and he wouldn't just run in a straight line.
"He'd be all over the place, it would be like trying to catch a chicken.
"He could do a lot of damage, his claws could slice your arm or head open.
"But that would be very out of character.
"Thor has a really cool temperament, he's not aggressive.
"When he's had enough, he'll whip his tail around.
Image by: Steve Chatterley
"Some people get scared and thing all reptiles will do is bite and scratch you.
"But I want to show that is not the case.
"I tend to walk Thor in the summer time and basically when the weather is good.
"He loves the trees and water in the park, he likes to get his claws into the trees.
"He eats braising steak about four times a week, he'll eat rats and fruit.
"He weighs about three stone and is about five foot nine inches tall.
"He's a strong lad.
"He gets more active when his temperature gets warmer, so when it's colder he's not
that active.
"He's friendly and is used to being touched and handled.”
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Mum who had still born twins and fell into a coma because of a rare liver condition was given a new organ - and now has a new baby
Image by: Louise Prashad
A mum who had stillborn twins and fell into a coma because of a rare liver condition was given a new organ - and now has a new baby.
Louise Prashad, 25, suffered the tragic double blow after being struck down with an often fatal condition during her first pregnancy.
Her 'acute fatty liver of pregnancy' saw her wake from a coma to be told her twins had been stillborn.
Mia and Leo were stillborn at 37 weeks - something Louise did not know about until she woke up three weeks later.
Louise thought she would never have another child - and only survived thanks to a liver transplant donated by a woman in her 50s.
It was found by medics in eight hours after Louise was escalated to number one on the European organ register.
Louise was wracked with grief following the death of the twins and practically gave up all hope of ever being a mother again.
Her reluctance was down to the one in four chance of the 'acute fatty liver' condition reoccurring during another pregnancy.
But after making the brave decision to try for another baby with her now husband Max, 30, who works in a restaurant, she fell pregnant with Ava following a year wait.
Louise wasn’t convinced little Ava, who is now one, would be born alive until being welcomed into the world on March 20, 2018.
She said: “I never thought I would have another child. When I decided I wanted to try again, I had to wait over a year because the medication I was on was really harmful.
“We started trying and it took a year and a half. I finally fell pregnant with Ava but it was the most nerve-wracking pregnancy. I really struggled to enjoy it.
“When you are pregnant, the slightest little thing can set your nerves going but I was on tenterhooks constantly.
“I didn’t believe she was going to be here alive until I gave birth. I wasn’t allowed a natural birth, I had to have a planned cesarean to make sure she was here safely.
“The minute I saw her and heard her cry I thought ‘she is actually here and I can stop doubting myself’.
“She is the spitting image of Mia and Leo, the similarities are so strange - the dark hair, same colour eyes, olive skin, cute button nose.”
After the birth of Ava, Louise’s first thoughts were of her son and daughter and of the woman who had donated the organ.
She wrote a letter to the donor’s family to let them know where their mum’s organ had gone and what Louise had achieved thanks to the woman in her 50s.
Louise fell pregnant with twins Mia and Leo in August 2015 aged 21 while taking a degree in law and having only been with her then-boyfriend, Max for six months.
Image by: Louise Prashad
Image by: Louise Prashad
She had a difficult pregnancy and then began to suffer from extreme fatigue, sickness and abdominal pain in the months before her due date.
Louise was rushed to hospital after vomiting two pints of blood before slipping into unconsciousness following complications with her pregnancy.
Medics later discovered Louise had been struck down with potentially fatal 'acute fatty liver of pregnancy' which affects one woman in 10,000 and meant Mia and Leo were 'born sleeping'.
She bears a scar across her stomach from the emergency transplant and caesarean. Louise sees these scars as a stark reminder of her survival and gift of life but also the devastation that she experienced.
Louise underwent a liver transplant while she was unconscious and had a very slim chance of survival
After waking up she could not remember the months leading up to her illness due to delirium.
Whilst recovering in the hospital, Lousie had to be told the devastating news that her twins had passed away.
Louise, who works for City of York Council, said: “Mum came in and broke the news that Mia and Leo weren’t here anymore. I screamed the place down.
“That’s when it all felt real and my brain came round to the idea they weren’t there anymore.
“It was the most traumatic experience of my life. I somehow found this inner strength that I needed to get better to ensure they had the best send off possible. They deserved so much more than the hand they were dealt.
“It was all about them and trying to celebrate what little life they had. I was numb.”
Louise had to learn to walk and write again, but once she left intensive care, managed to visit the chapel of rest and spend some time with Mia and Leo before the funeral.
Louise and her husband Max, of Holgate, York, have since raised £800 for a remembrance bench in Rowntree Park in honour of Mia and Leo and other families who have experienced child loss.
She said: “April 25 will be Mia and Leo’s birthday, so we’re hoping to get the bench in place by then. I was trying to think of something positive I could do.
“The last few years have been a whirlwind of emotion and grief, that never really stops.
“I wanted something in our home city we could visit with Ava on special occasions when we need some time out to think about them, or having a hard day.
“Somewhere we could go that’s a memorial and not a grave.
"I cannot even begin to explain how perfect my children were, I still think about them everyday. The pain never fades."
Louise is still undergoing counselling and physiotherapy to improve her mobility but is determined to make her children proud by raise awareness of organ donation and liver conditions in pregnancy.
She said: “Awareness of liver conditions in pregnancy is very low key. More needs to be done to educate the general public.
“Itchy skin, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin, excessive thirst, tiredness, bleeding gums are all symptoms.
“I think if you are willing to receive an organ, then you should be willing to donate.
“I was on the organ donor register before but I didn’t give it a moment’s thought, it was just something I ticked on my driving application but it is so much more than that. You are saving someone's child, someone's mother, the love of someone's life."
“It was through no fault of my own that I found myself in that situation and if there had not have been a donor available I wouldn’t be here and my husband would have lost three people that day.”
In the last three years, Louise has continued to exude strength and is now trying to use her experiences to benefit other families.
Friends and family are running York 10K in memory of Mia, Leo and organ donors and all funds raised will be donated to local organ donation charities.
To donate towards the memorial fund, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/miaandleoyork10k.
Image by: Louise Prashad
Catholic school pupils were hospitalised after "more than 100" suffered burned foreheads while taking part in an Ash Wednesday assembly
Image by: Steve Chatterley
Parents at a catholic school say "more than 100" kids suffered burns while having ash crosses smudged onto their foreheads during an Ash Wednesday assembly.
At least two children from St Augustine’s Catholic High School were taken to hospital following the religious event.
Parents said the ritual was performed by a priest and two older children and was stopped half way through when kids complained of "tingling".
One concerned grandparent said more than 100 kids were burned - and parents are considering legal action against the school in Redditch, Worcestershire.
A parent who took her son to hospital for treatment said medics told her it was a chemical burn that would likely leave a scar.
Traditionally the ash for the ceremony comes from leaves burned in last year's Palm Sunday services.
But a grandparent said "toxic" ones had been used this time.
Mum Cassena Brown, 39, said her son Chairo Rowe, 14, was badly burned in the ceremony, had to be taken to hospital and has been off school for two days.
She said: "I am absolutely furious.
"They started with the year nine and it was the priest and two sixth form children - a boy and a girl.
"That's the first thing that confused me when I heard about it. Why are children doing it to other children?
"After a while some of the children said that it had started to burn. Some of the teachers said it did as well.
"Some of them rubbed it off straight away, but some left it on.
"The children who left it on complained it was burning and some were given a wet wipe to wipe it off.
"But when some of the kids wiped it off, it ripped the skin off as well.
"It was red raw. They should have been sent to a medical professional, not given a perfumed wet wipe."
Delivery driver Cassena said all parents were sent a text message saying some children had been left with an "irritation" after the Ash Wednesday assembly.
She said the message said the parents of the most severely affected children would get a call - which Cassena did - and she came to pick up her son early.
"I saw other children walking out with their parents, with red marks - like a heat rash almost - on their foreheads," she said.
"But when I saw my son I was gobsmacked.
"My son was the worst of everyone. Because he is of Afro-Caribbean heritage you can see the burn very clearly, as the skin is burned and it's white underneath."
She said doctors at Alexandra Hospital said it was a chemical burn and recommended keeping the wound clean with cold water.
"It continued to burn throughout the night," she said.
"It was red hot. He won't go to school.
"He's embarrassed. Last week he had girls at school saying he was cute, now he has a burn on his face."
A grandfather of another burned child, who did not want to be named, said "over 100 children were damaged".
He added: "They are anointed with a cross on the forehead.
"The medium used was a mixture of palm oil and ash from burned leaves.
"They must have picked a toxic leaf as the results in most cases were burns on the forehead resulting in hospital admissions for many children.
"The parents are contemplating legal action."
The Christian Ash Wednesday ritual involves receiving a mark of ashes on the forehead as a token of penitence and mortality.
Parents at the school gates today (Fri) said some burned children were sent home.
One dad, who has a daughter at the school, said: “I think it was basically the first year students in school who were affected.
“It’s terrible really."
A mum said: "A load of the kids had to go home after they got burned."
Another mum added: "My daughter said something had happened and some kids got burned on the forehead.
“We are not Catholic so my daughter would not have taken part."
St Augustine’s Catholic High School said the ash was provided by a priest from the Diocese of Birmingham, which sourced it from a company in Aldridge.
Head of school Gerald O'Connor said he didn't know how many children were affected - but it was less than the estimate of "more than 100" given by parents.
He said he didn't know how many children were taken to hospital, but said some teachers were burned too.
A spokesperson for the school said: "During the Ash Wednesday service, it came to our attention that some discomfort was experienced by students that had received the ashes on the forehead.
"As a result all students were requested to wash the ashes off immediately to ensure no further discomfort was felt.
"We are aware that some students had a reaction to the ashes from the parish, for which medical advice has been sought.
"Parents are being kept informed and the school will carry out a full investigation as to why the ashes may have caused this reaction on this occasion."
Mr O'Connor added: "There were a number [of students] that we advised to seek medical attention. We've asked parents to keep us informed as to whether they did or not.
"We dealt with the issue immediately. Obviously health and safety is our primary concern.
"Some teachers were affected. We advised them to seek medical attention as well.
"We source our ashes from an external provider. We know there are processes to follow, and that is under investigation. We have asked for that investigation to happen. We want to get to the bottom of it."
PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
A couple have been found guilty of keeping a housemate as a slave - forcing him to live in a cupboard under the stairs "like Harry Potter".
Gabriel Nicolae was made to carry out forced labour and his captors controlled his finances and stopped him from eating or drinking in the house.
He was made to eat highly spiced food and ordered to dance and carry out physical challenges.
Mr Nicolae worked full time at an abattoir earning £300 to £350 a week - but he was given just enough money to buy his bus tickets and around £1 a day for biscuits.
Gabriel was even made to drink out of an outside hosepipe and use woodland when he needed the toilet and had eggs and flour thrown at him.
The victim had been using the cupboard under the stairs as a bedroom like "the boy wizard Harry Potter", a court was told.
Neighbours called police after seeing Gabriel washing in the garden in a basin fashioned from a pile of rocks.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNS
Ion Boboc, 26 and Christiana Tudor-Dobre, 24, were convicted of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour and fraud.
Mihai-Aurel Dan, who was also standing trial, was cleared of both charges. All three are from the St Anne's Park area of Bristol.
Prosecutor Charles Thomas said police visited the trio's address on July 27 2018, after a concerned neighbour called the Modern Slavery Hotline.
Mr Thomas said: “Police were surprised when Gabriel Nicolae emerged from the cupboard under the stairs. He looked dishevelled.”
Important documents such as his ID card, bank card, financial papers, and multiple phone contracts were in a bedroom used by Boboc and Tudor-Dobre.
The jury also heard that the victim was filmed carrying out tasks set by the defendants.
Mr Nicolae eventually revealed that he would have to wash his clothes in the town centre and was not allowed to eat or wash inside the house, with no use of the kitchen.
Ben Samples of the CPS said: “I would like to commend the victim for the incredible strength and bravery he showed in giving evidence and supporting the prosecution, despite the degrading treatment he suffered at the hands of the defendants.
“I would also like to thank the members of the public who contacted the police with their concerns. Modern slavery often takes place out of sight, and it is only with the support of such witnesses that we will defeat it in the UK.
“Finally, I would like to give credit to Avon and Somerset Police, who acted swiftly following the report and built a strong case against the defendants, working in partnership with the CPS South West Complex Case Unit.”
Officer in the case PC Roger Ibrahim said: “Without the information through the Modern Slavery Hotline this abuse would still be happening.
''When we found this man he appeared underfed and was suffering from sores on his feet. No one should be treated in this way.''
The duo will be sentenced for their crimes on March 19.
Image by: Matthew Newby SWNSVideo by: Ashley Moran
CHUBBY CHIHUAHUA
Image by: Patty Stanton
An obese Chihuahua who could barely move has shed more than half her body weight after ditching her indulgent diet.
Bertha tipped the scales at 13lbs when she was handed in to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco after her owner passed away.
The 11-year-old pooch was more than three times the recommended weight for a Chihuahua and could barely carry the massive weight on her tiny legs.
She was adopted by Allison Hackett, 35, in August 2017, who knew she could help the dog slim down and lead a happier life with a calorie-controlled diet.
Image by: Patty Stanton
Bertha committed to her diet of low-calorie, low-carb dog food and trained her palette to enjoy new offerings like carrot and apple.
Since embarking on her weight loss journey, the Chihuahua has shed 8lbs - more than half her body weight.
Allison, a mergers and acquisitions associate, said: "She was unable to move well and she was definitely hindered by her weight.
"She looked like a sausage.
"My friend said she looked like a loaf of bread on tiny legs.
"She is a Chihuahua so she should weigh about 5lbs, but when she was handed into the shelter she was about 13lbs.
"That’s almost triple what she should have been.
Image by: Allison Hackett
Image by: Allison Hackett
"She didn’t have a history so there was no evidence of what her diet had been like before but it was clear that it was bad.
"She lost about a pound during her time in Muttville so when I got her she was 12lbs.
"My vet advised me to start her on a low calorie and low carb dog food.
"We wanted her to lose weight slowly and healthily.
"She would have a quarter of a cup of this food a day in total.
"She reached 5lbs about a year into her diet and her vet is super happy with her at the moment."
Senior dog Bertha experiences regular seizures and can’t go too hard when it comes to exercise.
Image by: Allison Hackett
Image by: Allison Hackett
However, the pint-sized pooch loves to run around her house and can even climb the stairs, which she wasn’t able to do when she was obese.
Allison, of Saint Helena, California, said: "She is a much happier dog and is leading such a happy life now.
"We’re really strict about her diet. She’s not allowed any people food or high-calorie treats.
"Now she can go up and down the stairs, she can stand on her hind legs, she can run around.
"She has so much energy now and it’s so nice to hear the click of her toenails running around the house constantly especially when she could hardly move before."
While the pooch is on the straight and narrow, Bertha still loves her dinners and Allison said food is never far from her mind.
Allison said: "She definitely loves her food. She is always looking for it, she is constantly on the lookout.
"I can tell she's always thinking about it, but she is happy and healthy now and everyone is pleased with her progress."
Video by: Patty Stanton
LIVING NIGHTMARE
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
A restaurant owner puzzled by her sky-high electricity bills says she was horrified to discover she had also been paying the bills for a nearby bowling alley and hotel.
Patricia Rodrigues, 29, couldn't understand why she was paying around £1,300 a month for her pizza restaurant until she had an electrician come round to check it out.
The pizzeria boss claims she was stunned to find she had also been paying for an adjacent hotel and bowling alley - adding nearly £42,000 extra to her bills over the seven years.
The Mondragone Ristorante e pizzeria in Brandon, Suffolk is part of a complex that includes the Brandon Lodge Apartment Hotel and Mr G's Bowling centre which are both owned by landlord Nolan Guthrie.
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
When Patricia queried her bills with Mr Guthrie, he stated in a letter that it had been agreed she would pay all the power bills as part of the terms of renting out the restaurant.
But Patricia, who has been running the business since 2011 with her brother Fabio, claims she has never formally signed any terms or conditions or even lease.
She claims Mr Guthrie had delayed agreeing a formal lease when she first rented the property and only confirmed the rental amount.
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
The single mother-of-two said: "When I opened the restaurant, it didn’t enter my mind that we would be paying for someone else’s electric.
"Then we started seeing that our bills were getting really high.
"I have been asking for a contract and a lease to be set up since I have moved in and I think this is why he never done so".
Patricia says her electricity bills started off at £150 and then gradually increased.
She added: "My electricity bill went up gradually - it went to £250 then £300 and so on.
"I was thinking maybe it is just getting busier at the restaurant which means we would be using more electricity - but then it went to £600, £700, £1,000 and kept going".
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
After having an electricity meter built into her restaurant, Patricia discovered that she should be paying between £400 and £500 a month.
An average household pays around £1138 a year in electricity bills and uses an average of 3,100 kWh a year.
But Patricia, who pays £833 a month on rent, was paying around this in one month and claims she would be using around 100 kWh on a "busy" day.
She added: "When the electrician switched the meter board off, the lights in the whole building went out.
"The landlord came running into the restaurant and tried to throw the electrician out - there was a big argument between them - and he said what they were doing was illegal".
A letter from Weeting-based Forest Electrical, states: "Following my visit to your premises today, I can confirm that the three phase electricity supply contact through a standard meter is also supplying electricity to two further circuits in separate premises to your own.
"In short, you are paying for the electricity to two different dwellings/businesses other than your own."
Patricia claims he has not paid her back the money she is owed and has since stopped paying the electricity bills for the last three months.
She adds: "It has been really hard for me.
"I held on for so long, because if they threw me out I would have nothing.
"I have had the police in here because I was worried about him.
"I just wanted to run away and disappear - it has been so expensive for me."
The Mr Guthrie has denied comment.
Image by: Patricia Rodrigues
Patricia says she is now moving her restaurant after being unable to settle the dispute.
Patricia later said she believed the two extra electricity circuits were connected to hotels rooms on the ground floor next to her restaurant, and rooms on the first floor above - but NOT the nearby bowling alley.
She said she thought there were eight to ten rooms in total.
Speaking today (wed), Nolan Guthrie advised OFF THE RECORD that Patricia Rodrigues had been aware of the extra electricity circuits.
He said this had been an informal arrangement as the rent for her business premises was low.
He denies her claim that she was unaware of this.
Seven-year-old wows crowd with rendition of ‘This Is Me’ - in sign language
Video by: Michael Deegan
This adorable seven-year-old girl has become an internet sensation after wowing a crowd with a rendition of the song ‘This Is Me’ - in sign language.
Jessica Deegan’s dad Michael posted a video of her performing the song on Twitter, which has attracted over 240,000 views.
The youngster performed the song from the film The Greatest Showman at a talent show last Saturday and won a prize in her category.
Jessica, who is not deaf and has been learning sign at school, entered the open category of Next Step's Got Talent competition in her home of Livingston, West Lothian.
Proud dad Michael Deegan, 28, posted the clip of his daughter on Twitter and received more than 1,700 retweets and 14,000 likes.
Michael said: "It was a local dance group she goes to and they put on a talent show for the kids.
“Jessica chose to go into the open category to do sign language - she had learned it in school and really enjoys it.
“She cares for everyone and wanted to involve something that includes other people and lets others enjoy something different."
On the day, dad of two Michael attended the show with his parents Rose, 55, and Phil, 68, and Jessica's little brother Kobin, aged four.
Michael claimed Jessica was "really confident" and couldn't wait to perform her act which she had been practicising for weeks ahead of the event.
He said: “She had been practising for a couple of weeks before she had to put her entry in.
"She was really confident with no nerves and looked forward to it.
“Her family that went along knew what was happening but apart from that no one else knew.
“Not many people knew what was going on."
Image by: Michael Deegan
The amazing performance received a standing ovation and even moved a judge to tears.
Dad Michael said: “Everyone was getting drawn into it and emotionally attached to it - the place went silent.
“She only had a minute and a half then everybody jumped up in a roar.
“One of the judges said it brought tears to their eyes while watching it.
"She’s had a lot of support and messages since."
Michael, a customer resolution analyst, hopes his daughter will continue to learn sign language, which he believes could benefit her further down the line.
He said: “I’m hoping she does keep it up, she’s enjoying it and I’m hoping the school continue to offer it.
"But if they don't then I will speak to her and if she wants to continue it I will try and find her a tutor.
“I know myself it would be something very useful for her going into a working environment."
Michael said the response from family, friends and online has been "overwhelming".
He said: “Everybody’s over the moon with her and I still can't find the words with how proud I am with her.
“Everybody said it was so good.
“It’s overwhelming for us, never mind Jessica."
He added: "She likes to play with everybody and include others in the group - it shows everyone how much of a caring child she is.”
Image by: Michael Deegan
BAD HAIR DAY
Image by: Sophia Soares
A baffled schoolboy has been punished by his school for cutting his hair too short - just a day after being told off because it was TOO LONG.
Jonathon Soares, 16, was told by staff last Monday that his haircut - which featured shorts side and a long floppy fringe and he had sported for months - was too long.
The 16-year-old student duly got a £10 trim that night at his local hairdresser and had the sides 'shaved faded' and the top and fringe cut shorter.
However the following day he was stunned when a teacher at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, told him off for his 'Meet Me at McDonalds' haircut.
The teenager, from Great Yarmouth, was punished for his new do and was put in isolation for the rest of the week - where he was forced to work alone.
Image by: Sophia Soares
Image by: Sophia Soares
Jonathan's mum was outraged by the school's decision to isolate her son and is worried this will now effect his GCSEs - which he is set to take at the end of the year.
The youngster's hair is naturally curly and brown.
The youngster's mum, Sophia Soares, 35, said: "It's ridiculous.
"It seems to me like they are making an example out of Jonathan.
"I understand that they need to have the correct uniform and look smart but there are no patterns in it and it's not an outrageous colour - it's just a short back and sides.
"In my eyes how he chooses to have his hair cut is up to him."
Image by: Sophia Soares
The GY Charter Academy pupil now fears he may not get his place at East Norfolk Sixth Form College next year if he gets excluded in his final months at the school.
Sophia added: "You should not isolate a child for their haircut.
"A haircut does not stop you from learning.
"He is not the only child in that school with that haircut either - it's discrimination.
"He's not learning anything in isolation now so he might as well be at home."
A spokesman for the Inspiration Trust, who run a range of schools across Norfolk and Suffolk said pupils and parents are aware of the school's guidelines.
The Trust said: "Great Yarmouth Charter Academy’s guidelines on uniform and appearance have been well publicised, and families and pupils are well aware of the school’s requirements around haircuts.
"These are not difficult to follow, and if pupils choose to go against them they do so knowing the sanctions they are likely to face."
Military flypast held in honour of ten airmen and a British 82-year-old who blames himself for their deaths 75 years ago
Image by: Simon Galloway 
Image by: Simon Galloway
A military flypast was held today in honour of ten airmen and an 82-year-old who blames himself for their deaths 75 years ago.
Tony Foulds was just eight years old when he and a group of friends spotted a B-17 Flying Fortress.
The American plane known as 'Mi Amigo' was returning from a planned bombing raid over Europe after being attacked by the Luftwaffe.
Tony and his pals waved at the plane unaware it was going to try and make an emergency landing in the field they were standing in at Endcliffe Park in Sheffield.
Instead the plane and its crew steered away from them and crashed into trees - killing everyone on board.
Grandfather-of-four Tony has blamed himself for their deaths ever since and spent several decades tending a memorial to the brave crew.
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
The 10 men killed in the crash:
Pilot Lt John Kriegshauser, pilot from Missouri
2nd Lt Lyle Curtis, co-pilot from Idaho
2nd Lt John Humphrey, navigator from Illinois
Melchor Hernandez, bombardier from California
Harry Estabrooks, engineer and gunner from Kansas
Charles Tuttle, gunner from Kentucky
Robert Mayfield, radio operator from Illinois
Vito Ambrosio, gunner from New York
Malcolm Williams, gunner from Oklahoma
Maurice Robbins, gunner from Texas
The list of aircraft taking part in Mi Amigo memorial flypast over Endcliffe Park in Sheffield:
Mi Amigo
KC -135 Stratotanker
Typhoons x2
CV-22 Osprey
F-15 Eagle x4
Dakota
MC-130
F-15s
RAF firepower
MC-130
B-17 Flying Fortress
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
But after Tony asked for a flypast for them on the 75th anniversary of the deaths a campaign was launched and his wish came true - with him as the guest of honour.
An emotional Tony speaking on BBC breakfast said: “I have had a guilty conscience all my life, the guilt has grown more and more over the years.
“The men that saved my life they’re my family, they didn’t know who anyone of us on the field that day but they chose to save our lives over their own.
“This fly-past is not about me, this is about those brave men who saved my life. I’ll never stop visiting the memorial.”
Mr Foulds said he and the other children were in the park on February 22, 1944 because boys from two rival junior schools were fighting.
Tony was spotted earlier this year by Dan Walker, BBC presenter who was walking his dog through the park spotted the pensioner caring for the memorial.
Dan shared their exchange online and it instantly won the heart of the nation.
A social media-led subsequently went viral and a fly-past which had been a life-long dream of Tony’s was successfully organised along with new steps and a flagpole for the crash memorial.
Today, thousands of people along with two relatives of the crew members who tragically died 75-years-ago, attended the fly-past involving military aircraft from Britain and the United States.
Crews set off from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, which is home to the largest US Air Force base in the UK.
Image by: Simon Galloway
Image by: Simon Galloway
