Little Sam, the Nepalese girl taken to heart by readers of the Oxford Mail's sister paper, the Witney Gazette, has finally had her operation, writes David Horne.

The youngster was given surgery for a serious jaw condition at London's world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital on Thursday.

When she came round, the first thing she asked for was a mirror to look at herself. By the weekend, she was discharged and running round at play. John Fox, the Little Sam Appeal organiser, said: "It is an amazing transformation. She now looks like a normal little girl. Although she was in a lot of pain immediately after the operation, she can now for the first time open her mouth and even stick her tongue out.

"This has only been possible thanks to all great support of the readers. It is wonderful."

Samjhana, four, and her father, Mukti Timilsina, came to Britain in March for her potentially lifesaving operation. She was born with a jaw disfigurement which makes it impossible for her to eat anything except fluids.

Mr Fox and his partner at the Witney Natural Health Clinic in Corn Street, Anna Shepley, met the family while trekking in the Himalayas and decided to try to help the youngster.

Through an appeal in the Witney Gazette, about 10,000 was raised for the operation and other costs similar to one undergone by teenager Lesley Partlett, of Pinsley Road, Long Hanborough. Sam and her father have been staying with Mr Fox at his home in Minster Lovell for nearly six months and endured agonising setbacks with the operation having to be cancelled twice. But on Thursday, a team of surgeons went ahead with the three-and-a-half-hour operation. They used bone from a rib to insert into her jaw and create a normal functioning joint.

"She is such a brave little girl," said Mr Fox. "When she came round in recovery, the first thing she asked for in Nepalese was a mirror so that she could look at herself. "Although she has bandages all round her head, there was a smile there. Her father was in tears.

"She has never been able to see inside her mouth before and she can even put her fingers in her mouth now, just like any little child.

Sam and her father are still staying with Mr Fox. She will be making several return trips to the hospital to have stitches removed and check-ups before they can return to Nepal.