A seven-year-old girl is set to become the first Scots child to receive a life changing operation to reverse the effects of cerebral palsy.

Brooke Ramsay, from Carnoustie, in Angus, developed the condition after being born three months prematurely and cannot stand unaided.

Her only chance of being able to walk without help is by undergoing selective dorsal rhizotomy.

Several other families in the area have travelled to America for the treatment as it was previously not available in the UK.

The surgery costs £24,000, and the three years after care costs around £35,000.

Brooke's parents Laura and Stewart have worked tirelessly to raise the cash for her. The pair had been fundraising for a target of around £60,000 but they had also been campaigining for funding from NHS Tayside.

Initially their campaigns were turned down by the health board but it has now been decided that the operation will be funded.

A team at Bristol’s Frenchay Hospital are able and willing to perform the surgery and if all goes to plan Brooke could be having the operation in July.

Her father Stewart, a police officer, said: "We've continued fundraising and had spectacular support, we have a couple of people doing something amazing for us in terms of fundraising and we have been supported by our MSP Graeme Day.

"For the last few months NHS have been apparently setting up a protocol for referring children who fit the criteria for this surgery to Bristol.

"We are told this has been set up formally so now any child in Scotland can approach their primary care trust for this purpose.

"We are told that part of the process involves every clinician involved in the child's case giving a 'yes' or 'no' answer before the primary care trust gives a formal decision.

"We are told that a decision for Brooke from NHS Tayside is imminent. If positive, Brooke will be the first Scottish child to have received support from NHS in having this operation done in the UK. "

MPs last week held a debate at Westminister as to whether or not it should be more widely available on the NHS.

Beau Britton, also seven, last year became the first child to have the operation funded by the NHS. 

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “A national clinical pathway and referral protocol for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy has now been agreed and NHS Tayside has today adopted this criteria for referral.

“This means that the patient’s consultant will now apply the approved criteria and, if the patient meets the criteria, the consultant will refer the patient on for consideration of surgery.”

Graeme Dey MSP said: “I am delighted for Brooke and her family.

“I know how difficult the time spent waiting on this decision has been for them.

“It is also good news that the referral criteria is now in place for cases of this nature.

“This will ensure that parents in similar situations to that of Laura and Stewart learn far sooner whether the NHS believes their child’s condition would be improved by undergoing this procedure.’’