An eight-year-old girl is among the first in Britain to be fitted with a printed hand after she was born with a rare condition.

Isabella Rudd of Faesten Way, Dartford, was born with symbrachydactyly - a disability that resulted in her having no fingers on her right hand and just a small thumb.

The congenital abnormality affects just one in 32,000 births.

It meant growing up, Isabella was unable to carry out simple tasks such as catching a ball or picking up a cup with two hands and even riding a bicycle.

But earlier this month, the Joydens Wood Junior School pupil was fitted with a 3D printed hand using technology designed in America.

The procedure has been hailed as a overwhelming success with her family describing it as a “miracle”.

"As far as I’m concerned it is a miracle, it is amazing technology that has given her the confidence to do things she has never done before..." - Mark Rudd

The prosthetic, which is operated from the wrist, cost just £50 to make and was pain free to fit using plastic moulded to fit Isabella’s hand.

Her dad Mark said he began researching the technology after playing tennis with his daughter at David Lloyd Leisure over the Easter holidays.

He managed to speak to a group of Essex-based technology enthusiasts who offered to produce Isabella’s printed hand for just £50.

Mr Rudd said: "It started when I took her to the David Lloyd Centre to play tennis - she could hit the ball well with her left hand but couldn’t serve with the other so it led me to do some research.

"It doesn’t cost much more than £50 to produce. The beauty about it is that it’s so low cost and pain free to fit.

"As far as I’m concerned it is a miracle, it is amazing technology that has given her the confidence to do things she has never done before.

"It does the same as a robotic hand that costs about £35,000."

Mr Rudd says he hopes a sponsor will come forward to enable more families to benefit from the technology.

He added: "I have heard from families who want something similar but I’d need to get a sponsor on board to help bring it to the mass market."

The 3D print was designed and developed by an American company Enabling The Future and produced by FabLab - a group set up to encourage technological invention.

For information on FabLabs visit www.fabfoundation.org/fab-labs/