Children get bionic arms after fundraising appeal success

Thalia, 7, from North Yorkshire said she could not wait to show her new arm to her school friends

Two children from Yorkshire with limb difference have been fitted with "bionic" arms after a successful fundraising campaign.

Seven-year-old Thalia, from Drax, in North Yorkshire, and Joshua, 15, from Barnsley, were born with parts of their left arms missing.

The custom-made prosthetic limbs allow the user to control an electronic hand by sensors connected to arm muscles.

Thalia said she could not wait to show it to school friends.

She added that she had not taken off her new arm all weekend since it had been fitted.

Mum Kerrie Coultas said she and Thalia had been practising together doing "lots of high-fives and fist bumps" after the Hero Arm was fitted.

"She's going to just get to be so much more independent now," she said.

"Obviously, there are still going to be a couple of things she's going to need help with, but this will just set her up so much better.

"It's just so emotional watching her. She even surprised herself with some of the things she was able do with it."

Joshua described the experience of using the prosthetic limb as "absolutely amazing"

Joshua described the experience of using the prosthetic limb as "absolutely amazing".

"It does take a lot of getting used to, having two arms, when I've grown up just having the one. But it's easy enough to work around and figure out how to do stuff different," he said.

His mum Nicola Sanders described it as a "very emotional time".

"I was just expecting a certain bit of mobility, but not the actual functions that it does. It's just outstanding," she said.

"Every single finger moves individually. He can clench his fist with it, he can do an OK sign with it and, unfortunately, he can stick two fingers up now."

Thalia, Joshua and Alexia received donations from the Worshipful Company of Glovers

Eight-year-old Alexia Robinson, from Middlesbrough, has also received one of the prosthetic arms.

The children's families raised the £13,500 for each of the arms with the help of donations from groups and individuals, including £5,000 from the Open Bionics Foundation, based in Bristol, which builds the Hero Arms.

Other contributors included £3,000 from the Worshipful Company of Glovers and £8,000 from the Teesside Family Fund.