The family of a young woman who underwent a heart transplant earlier this year are amazed at her determined fightback.

Katy Taylor-Hamilton is ecstatic to be back at her St Bees home following major surgery in January.

And her proud parents, Emma-Jane Taylor and Geoff Hamilton, can’t believe how well their daughter is doing.

Katy, who has Down’s syndrome, has started back at Hensingham Day Centre, has pulled on her dance shoes once again and is back attending St Bees Priory.

She’s also preparing to take part in the British Transplant Games in July.

“I’m happy to be home with my new heart,” said the 20-year-old. “It’s nice to see everybody again.”

Katy had slight heart failure when she was 18 months old as a result of the chemotherapy drugs she had taken to battle leukaemia.

Her health deteriorated at the end of last year and she was placed on the “active list” for a transplant in December, which she had the following month.

“She’s doing absolutely fabulous,” said Emma-Jane. “We weren’t expecting Katy to make such an amazing recovery.

“We think it’s because she so desperately wanted to be well. One of the first things she said when she came round from the operation was “am I fixed now?”

Katy attends a review clinic at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle once a fortnight and has a heart biopsy once a month to measure the rejection rate – which has so far shown zero per cent.

She is also having cardiac rehabilitation at the West Cumberland Hospital.

Hundreds of messages and cards were sent to Katy following the transplant, including a special recording from Olly Murs.

“My mummy told me to sit down when she showed me!” said Katy. “I’ve got all of his CDs and singles and have seen him five times. I really like him and loved his message.”

Her dad, Geoff, said the donor family are always in their mind, adding it wouldn’t have been possible without their “gift”.

Hundreds of pounds have so far been raised in Katy’s name, the most recent was £500 from Cumbria Kart Racing Club at Rowrah for the Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association.