AN 11-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has signed up to a top modelling agency less than a year after taking her first unaided steps.

Katie Renshaw, from Sandymoor, has received treatment from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital since she was a baby.

In the past year, she has been able to take her first unaided steps after undergoing major surgery – a nine-hour operation to straighten her legs.

Now, she is mainly walking unaided and has been signed up to the Zebedee Management modelling agency.

So far, the Sandymoor School pupil has worked for top high street brands including River Island and Matalan and recently teamed up with Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt for Alder Hey’s Superstar Pyjamas campaign.

Mum Clare said: "Katie is walking mainly unaided now and has been signed to a modelling agency, who take on children with different disabilities.

"They put all the children up for the same jobs as all the other modelling agencies.

"So far she’s worked for River Island and Matalan, and she’s also doing her first catwalk fashion show – she was with Scarlett Moffatt the other day having stuff done for Alder Hey.

"She’s been amazing and she’s just been for casting in London for a big high street name as well."

Katie’s hard work following the operation three years ago is now paying off, with her modelling work now fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Clare added: "She keeps saying how proud she is of herself – she’s been through everything she’s been through, and now she’s able to do something as massive as this.

"Her walking has really come far, and the surgeon has signed her off yearly – he’s really impressed with how far she’s come.

"She has had to do a lot of physio and a lot of confidence-building – she had major surgery and she’s come a long, long way since then.

"She’s done so well – she’s always said that she wanted to be model, and now with this she can."