BGT finalist, 15, says Simon Cowell will pay for her £175k spinal surgery

A 15-year-old dancer who appeared in the final of Britain's Got Talent has said that Simon Cowell will pay £175,000 for her back surgery.

Julia Carlile, who is part of the dance troupe MerseyGirls, has scoliosis, a back condition which means her spine is curved to one side.

She has revealed Cowell told her backstage at Britain's Got Talent that he would pay for the operation.

The surgery in the USA involves fixing screws to a cord in her back.

Had Julia had surgery through the NHS, she wouldn't have been able to dance again because the procedure fuses the spine with metal rods - which restricts movement.

Julia Carlile (centre) helped start MerseyGirls two years ago

"I'm beyond happy and it means we can carry on dancing together for the rest of our lives," Julia told the Liverpool Echo.

"He didn't have to do it and he has changed my life."

MerseyGirls were Alesha Dixon's golden buzzer act, which meant that they went straight through to the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent.

They made it through to the final, where they came ninth.

The dance troupe auditioned for Britain's Got Talent under the name Just Us.

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Julia says that the troupe started singing together because they thought she wouldn't be able to dance again.

But the back surgery, which will take place next week, has given them hope that she will dance again.

MerseyGirls had said that they would have used the £250,000 prize money to pay for Julia's surgery had they won.

But Simon has footed the bill instead.

"There are no words to thank him for how grateful we are. It's just unbelievable," say Julia.

"It does not feel real."

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