Charity provides free surgery to help youngster get on her feet

Little Niamh Harkin was diagnosed with what most of us know as "clicky hips" at the age of six months.

The condition — known medically as developmental dysplasis of the hip — meant her ball and socket hip joint was not properly developed and didn’t fit snugly together. In fact Niamh’s mother Gwen says the hip joint had no socket at all.

Niamh was referred to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin where she was seen by consultant orthopaedic surgeon Patrick Kiely.