AN EIGHT-year-old who survived heart surgery has been starring on the catwalk at New York and London fashion weeks.

Amy Lee was seriously ill as a baby and rushed to Evelina London Children’s Hospital at just four months old.

She had life-changing heart surgery and spent more than a week on a life-support machine.

Doctors discovered a hole between her aorta and pulmonary artery that caused too much blood to be delivered to the lungs, which could be life-threatening.

But after successful treatment, Amy, from East Grinstead, has since blossomed in her fashion career.

Her mother Jennie said: “When Amy’s modelling she’s in her element and has a beaming smile on her face, I am so proud of her.

“You would never know the struggles she’s been through.

“She has autism and a cataract in her left eye but she hasn’t let anything stop her from doing what she loves.”

Jennie said while her little girl was ill it was the worse time of her life.

She said: “I was beside myself with worry and seeing her tiny body hooked up to the machines was dreadful.

“The nurses on the unit were absolutely brilliant and the doctors helped to put me at ease by explaining what they could see on the scans and how they were going to treat her.

“Evelina London was amazing, without them we might not have her. Everyone from the cleaning staff and the receptionist to the clinical team were just so friendly and lovely.”

Amy, who has previously starred in adverts for Sainsbury’s and Lidl, made her debut at New York Fashion Week on February 9 and walked the catwalk at London Fashion Week on February 17.

She strutted her stuff for children’s tailor and fashion designer Krissie Colton and her brand ME Clothing.

Amy said: “I’m was very, very, very, very excited because it’s my favourite thing to do. My friend went to watch me in New York and I have friends who do it with me in London.”

Dr Aaron Bell, consultant paediatric cardiologist at Evelina London, said: “Amy was pretty sick when she arrived at Evelina London and her heart was becoming enlarged, but the surgery was a success.

“It’s wonderful to see how well Amy is doing and I wish her luck in her modelling career. She is a great example of how our life-saving treatment is helping children to go on and live a healthy life.”