When inspirational Lauren Benney was born with a condition called Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (PDD), doctors told her parents Andy and Louise that she would probably wouldn't survive much beyond her fourth birthday.

However she celebrated her sixth birthday in October and at the weekend Christmas came early when she met Santa.

Lauren's illness means she has very low muscle tone, profound brain damage and is registered blind.

On Saturday the Mayfield School pupil was joined by her younger brother Matthew, four, and two-year-old sister Emma, in Kent at Lapland (UK).

It's a case of deja vu for Lauren as last year ITV's This Morning arrived on her doorstep to transform her front garden in Chorley into a Christmas grotto.

Dad Andy, who works for the Lancashire Ambulance Service, said: "Lauren is very much an inspiration and a real fighter. She was rushed to intensive care at Easter because she was suffering from influenza, but she has fought on and she is the bravest person I have ever met.

"Despite the hospital trip, which was as drastic as they get, Lauren has had a pretty good year and we are keeping our fingers crossed that she is well for Christmas and doesn't have to be in hospital.

"The trip to Lapland (UK) was all about giving Lauren experiences to remember and giving us as many memories as we can. Lauren has been through so much, but she is doing exceedingly well and she enjoyed the lights and the sounds at the Christmas grotto."

Whilst at Lapland (UK), which is situated in the Bewl Water Estate, Kent - not the one recently closed by trading standards - the family, of Railway Road, saw reindeers, huskies and, of course, Father Christmas.

Andy added: "I was really looking forward to seeing the reindeer as it reminded me of last year when they pulled Father Christmas up the street in his sleigh – that's not something you see every day in Chorley.

"Matthew was so excited about the trip that he hadn't stopped talking about it for the last four or five weeks - he really wanted to see Father Christmas."

Speaking after the trip mum Louise added: "The whole day was fantastic. There was an amazing ice rink with a Christmas tree in the middle and an organiser took Lauren ice skating in her wheelchair.

"She was really smiley and Matthew and Emma were in complete awe when they met Father Christmas. Lauren loved all of the lights and the sounds and it was a brilliant experience for all of us."


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