Sorry, this video asset has been removed.

A nine-year-old girl will be spending the summer holidays writing letters as she recovers from a stroke.

Jessica Redfearn, from Ashford, started her campaign to help improve the use of her right arm after the stroke and has already received a reply from The Queen.

She was at a friend’s party on March 1 playing on a trampoline when she suffered a terrible headache and went to find her mother Tarnia, who was also at the friend’s house.

Video: Jessica tells Kentish Express journalist Sarah Marshall her story.

“I took one look at her and thought by the way that her face had dropped that it might have been a stroke but children don’t have strokes, at least that was my understanding,” Mrs Redfearn said.

The family quickly learned that about 100 children a year suffer stokes, a condition usually associated with older people.

Jessica was rushed to hospital in London. Her mum was panicked as she travelled with her daughter in the ambulance.

Jessica said: “I was feeling really scared as I couldn’t talk to her, I couldn’t move my right arm or leg and I couldn’t control my left side very well so it was really scary.

“Mum was crying but my mouth wouldn’t move so I couldn’t tell her I was okay.”

Jessica spent 10 days in the Evelina Children's Hospital, part of St Thomas’ Hospital, London.

She came home but two days later woke up with a headache and was rushed back into hospital as her parents realised she had suffered a second stroke.

She spent a further two and a half weeks in hospital. While she was on the ward Jessica realised writing letters would be good exercise for her arm.

She trawled the hospital computer for addresses and started writing to famous people including The Queen, children’s author Jacqueline Wilson and broadcaster Terry Wogan, telling them about herself and asking them questions.

She has received several replies; her favorite being from Jacqueline Wilson as it was handwritten.

Four months on, numerous physiotherapy sessions and hundreds of letters later and Jessica is back at St Marys school, Ashford.

She has regained much of the use of her right side but still has some restricted movement.

Jessica still requires weekly warfarin injections and physio every fortnight and the prognosis is uncertain.

Mrs Redfearn said: “Jessica doesn’t have any other medical conditions so I don’t know why she had a stroke and we don’t know whether she’s going to have another one.”

Jessica is keen to receive letters so that she can reply and exercise her arm. Anyone who wants to write can send a letter to Jessica Redfearn, c/o Sarah Marshall, Kentish Express, Express House, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, Kent TN24 8JR