Brownie Peg Davison proudly shows off her Star of Merit, one of Girlguiding UK's highest accolades. Picture: ROGER ELLIOTT DA4727P1A NINE-YEAR-OLD Salisbury girl who demonstrated courage through the most difficult of circumstances has received one of the highest Girlguiding awards.

Despite battling with bone cancer and enduring nine months of chemotherapy, Sarah Davison, known as Peg, of Stratford Road, kept on smiling and joining in with her beloved Brownies whenever possible.

Now her bravery and determination has been recognised by Girlguiding UK which, at a special service in St Thomas's Church last month, presented Peg with one of its highest accolades - the Star of Merit.

"It was a big surprise - I felt really, really shocked," said Peg, who is now in remission was confirmed that Peg had an osteosarcoma - a relatively common type of bone cancer prevalent in children under 16.

For the rest of the year she underwent a harsh regime of chemotherapy at the Middlesex, travelling to London with her mother, Vanessa, every few weeks for four or five days of treatment.

"It was a very difficult time," said Vanessa. "I didn't realise how hideous it all was until afterwards - if you think about these things too much at the time, you stop, don't you?

"Everybody was amazing, though, all our friends and family - we had a lot of support.

"My husband, Richard, works in London and he would come and see us in the Middlesex at the end of every day.

"We also had a fantastic New Zealand nanny, Bonnie, who looked after the others when we were away."

Peg's course of chemotherapy finished in January 2003, but she then needed two operations at Salisbury District Hospital to replace the area of weakened bone tissue with a 10cm titanium rod.

She spent much of last year with her leg in plaster and can still only participate in a few non-contact sports.

"All my friends kept asking me if my leg was OK," said Peg.

"They also sent me lots of letters and cards when I was in hospital, especially my best friend Millie - she was great."

Now, after nearly two years, life is gradually returning to normal for Peg and her family.

They enjoyed a very special Christmas together last year and, to top it all, Peg was asked to present Cherie Blair with a bouquet of flowers at Freddie's Festive Fundraiser, a charity event in aid of Sargent Cancer Care for Children, which Mr and Mrs Blair had attended in the grounds of Salisbury's Cathedral School days before.

"She was very nice," said brave, unassuming Peg.

"I really enjoyed meeting her."

"I didn't think they were talking about me.

"When she said it was for a very special person, I thought, 'I'm not a very special person'."

But Peg, a member of 3rd Salisbury Brownies and a pupil at Leaden Hall School, has proved a source of inspiration to both family and friends.

Her Brown Owl, Jane Wilde, said: "Peg showed incredible poise and great dignity.

"She went through a huge amount and yet was still able to carry on with her guiding.

"She really is a very special girl and I, for one, am very proud of her."

Peg was just an ordinary seven-year-old in March 2002, looking forward to her birthday the following week, when she jumped off a swing and broke her left leg.

It soon became apparent it was no straightforward break and she was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon at Salisbury District Hospital.

He, in turn, referred her to a specialist oncology clinic at the Middlesex Hospital, in London, where, following a biopsy, it