A brave eight-year-old who had a heart transplant is back at school just months after the intensive operation.

Hannah Mansfield waited 14 months on the transplant list and even attempted to celebrate her eighth birthday in an intensive care unit.

Her parents – Richard, 43, and Alison, 42 – shared her story to thank the health workers, the organ donor, and her school, who all made Hannah’s return to the classroom and her life in Leybourne possible.

The West Malling schoolgirl and her classmates have since raised hundreds of pounds for the hospital that treated her.

It was in the build-up to Christmas 2013 when Richard and Alison noticed their youngest child was developing a swollen stomach.

Thinking it could be a food allergy they took her to her GP, who referred her for an urgent scan.

Medics at Maidstone Hospital discovered she had heart failure, and further tests in London revealed restrictive cardiomyopathy, a condition affecting one in a million children, where the walls of the main heart chambers become rigid, depriving the heart of blood.

Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital said Hannah’s best chances for the future would be a heart transplant.

Mr Mansfield said: “The hardest thing to do was tell Hannah and her older brother James, 11, she needed a heart transplant to get better. Hannah was upset and concerned it would hurt but doctors assured us she would not feel any pain.”

He added: “Without a transplant, she would be unlikely to live to see her 10th birthday.”

After more than a year of waiting, Hannah was in assembly at More Park Primary School in West Malling, when she got the call a donor had been found. An ambulance arrived and whisked her to the London hospital.

"Hannah has been fantastic and didn’t complain or moan despite the surgery, procedures and all the drugs she has to take" - Mr Mansfield

As she began her recovery earlier this year in the hospital’s specialist cardiac unit, she turned eight.

Mr Mansfield recalled: “The staff had been preparing banners for days before. On her birthday, they wished her happy birthday and sang to her in five different languages.

“The intensive care ward and transplant team gave her presents and cake, but unfortunately she was unable to eat any due to complications with her pancreas and stomach.

“She tried to put a brave face on it.”

The Mansfields, of Bridgewater Place, Leybourne, arranged a belated party just a few weeks ago.

Mr Mansfield paid tribute to his family, particularly the children as they coped with the family being separated between London and Kent.

“James was a tower of strength and we are incredibly proud of him. Hannah has been fantastic and didn’t complain or moan despite the surgery, procedures and all the drugs she has to take.”

Hannah and her classmates clubbed together to raise money for her ward at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

They raised £550 for items such as hairbrushes, blankets and toothbrushes.

Year 4 pupils created a stall to sell accessories they had made, and Hannah’s brother, James, and his friends held charity events.

Mr Mansfield said: “We are very grateful for the money raised to support the amazing hospital that gave Hannah another chance of life.”

He added: “Organ donation saves lives, but there are not enough donations and three people die every week waiting for transplant."

For more information about signing up to the donation register, click here.