15711/10A LITTLE girl who nearly didn't live to see her first birthday took pride of place on a Melksham carnival float created by her proud grandmother on Saturday.

Lauren Booth, three, was struck down by meningitis when she was just six weeks old and each year since then her grandmother, Margaret Rogers, has created a carnival float to celebrate the youngster's recovery.

This year her creation, The Story of Cinderella, was named overall winner for the first time.

Mrs Rogers said: "It is lovely to see Lauren up there, absolutely wonderful, and it is so great to actually win.

"I'm already thinking of ideas for next year."

The grandmother created the entire float, including Cinderella's golden carriage, in her one-bedroom Melksham flat.

Lauren, who lives in Chippenham, spent three weeks at the Royal United Hospital in Bath after contracting the potentially lethal group B streptococcal meningitis.

She recovered well but was left with weakness in her left side and problems with her hearing and speech.

Her parents, Lisa-Jayne and Paul, set up a fundraising campaign for the hospital's Forever Friends Appeal, raising more than £5,000 in just one year.