A 12-year-old girl who feared she would never walk again after a fall is supporting a hospital’s appeal to raise £15million.

Chloe Hooper and her family are backing the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital's redevelopment appeal.

They are set to become charity advocates for revamp of the hospital, in Wood Lane, Stanmore, which needs to raise money for new equipment and new building work.

The 12-year-old, who lives in Rayleigh, Essex, was with her friends at a scout camp in May when she fell 18ft from a tree.

She landed on her back and was taken to Southend University Hospital, where she was transferred to the Stanmore hospital by ambulance.

When she arrived, Chloe was unable to move her legs and in severe pain and distress. An MRI scan revealed she had fractured her spine.

Her family feared she would never walk again, but after Chloe’s family met with Dr Robert Lee at the RNOH they realised surgery was the best option.

Chloe had metal screws and rods inserted into her spine to hold her broken back together and one of her bones was removed to help reduce the pressure on her spinal cord, which had damaged her leg.

Since the surgery, she has little discomfort and has since returned to scouts and school.

Her father, Simon, an NHS paramedic for the London Ambulance Service, said: “We are finding it difficult to find the words to thank Robert Lee and his colleagues at the RNOH. We will be forever thankful to them.

“One day she will walk down the church aisle or run in the school sports day and we’re so hopeful of this because of the expert team who cared for our daughter. We never dreamed that Chloe would make a full recovery - the RNOH truly has answered all our prayers.”

Chloe recently raised money for and took part in the charity’s annual, flagship Buttercup Walk in Stanmore this summer.

For more details on the Charity’s Appeal or to make a donation, visit www.rnohcharity.org