A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl who had a life-saving transplant operation after a desperate last-minute appeal for a donor is recovering well - with a gift from JK Rowling her new most treasured possession.

Abbey Cape was given two weeks to live after a virus attacked her heart, leaving just eight per cent of it able to function. But the youngster is now making a good recovery and today her parents thanked well-wishers, including the Edinburgh author who sent a personal gift and a note.

The owl toy and a hand-written letter sent by the author of the Harry Potter books proved a big hit. The owl hasn't left her side since she got it,they said.

The couple, Marianne Cape and Darren Jackson, from Leicestershire, issued a desperate appeal for a heart donor for Abbey, who suffered severe cardiomyopathy
and had a transplant last month.