HEART patient Rachel Howker today said she was looking forward to flying home after her "miracle" trip to Disney World, Florida.

While she was there, the 11-year-old from Ramsbottom, collapsed and never saw Mickey Mouse. But the trip was more than she ever dreamed.

"It was miraculous," her overjoyed stepfather said.

As reported in last night's BEN, Rachel, 11, born without a right heart ventricle, underwent five hours of surgery last week at Tampa Children's Hospital at St Joseph's Hospital. About four months ago, doctors in England had told Rachel's parents, Carol and Kevin Gilmore, she would need a heart transplant within two years. Aware of the risk, her parents gave her one wish. Rachel picked a visit to Disney World.

"It was to be her dream trip," Mr Gilmore said at Tampa Children's Hospital where Rachel is recovering. "It was a horrible beginning. But it turned fantastic. It was miraculous. I believe there's someone up there who pulled this off. It was meant from day one," said Mr Gilmore, who is a service engineer in Manchester. "Words just can't pull it together."

A doctor at an Orlando hospital realised Rachel's pacemaker was the problem, but the overall situation was grave. He called Gary Haas, chief of paediatric cardiovascular surgery at Tampa Children's Hospital, who pioneered the operation that would save Rachel's life.

"We knew this child's situation could be easily solved," Mr Haas said earlier. It was too dangerous to send her back to England.

The hospitals and Mr Haas made the £50,000 procedure possible by donating their services.

Rachel has received cards, prayers and gifts from strangers, five teddy bears, plenty of attention from the paediatric staff and telephone calls from her three sisters and a brother in England.

"They miss me," she beamed. And although she misses them, when she goes home on Monday the first thing she wants to do is play with her cat, Smokey. Next? "Play with grandma's cat."

Mr Gilmore added. "There's been so much love and support from the staff at the hospital and from the people of Tampa."

Rachel has been spending idle hours playing Nintendo and looking forward to the time when she can take up swimming again.

As for Disney World, she admits disappointment and says one day she wants to come back to Florida for that visit.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.