A RUNCORN mum is taking her baby daughter to school to tell children about Down’s Syndrome.

Mum-of-four Maria Dimelow only discovered 13-month-old Ameila had the condition when she was five-months-old.

She is organsing a coffee morning and odd sock day at Windmill Hill Primary School, from 9am to 10am, on Friday, March 21, Down’s Syndrome awareness day.

Maria, aged 41, of Windmill Hill, said: “I want to help children to understand what Down’s Syndrome is.

“I hope my daughter will go to this school and I want pupils to accept her as she is. She is a normal child like them, except that she may be a bit slower at learning.”

Maria’s other children, Bethany, aged four, and Ryan, aged 8, are pupils there. She and her husband, Carl, aged 36, also has a 16-year-old son, Keiran.

She was told that Amelia might be Down’s Syndrome when she had a 20-week scan during pregnancy.

Maria said: “A consultant checked the results of an emergency scan and told me to stop worrying.

“When she was born, they did all the tests and said she was perfectly healthy.”

At her 12-week check up, Maria asked to see a specialist as she suspected certain signs were not right.

A blood test showed Amelia did have Down’s Syndrome.

Maria added: “It was hard at first but the Down’s Syndrome Association has given me so much support, I want to raise awareness and some funds for them.

“Amelia is a little live wire. From the minute she wakes up she is smiling.

“She is a happy little thing and has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives, she is lovely.”

For more details, visit downs-syndrome.org.uk