A LITTLE girl finally got the white Christmas she longed for thanks to the generosity and kindness of Daily Echo readers.

Seven-year-old Isabella slept through the big day after a seizure led to her being placed in an induced coma.

The Winchelsea School pupil suffers from a severe form of epilepsy and spent big chunks of 2020 in hospital.

All she asked for was a snowy Christmas so her family was devastated when she was placed in a coma on December 17.

The decided not to tell her she had missed Santa and appealed through the Daily Echo for a snow machine to create a special day when she came home.

And they were inundated with offers of help.

Isabella, who lives in Poole with mum Abbie, is now home and has enjoyed her very special Christmas - complete with piles of presents and snow in the garden.

Her grandmother, Allison Benson, said: “We want to thank everyone who offered to help us make Christmas special for Isabella.

“We are truly grateful and touched at the generosity of others.

“We decided to keep Christmas quiet as Isabella is still recovering and also due to her vulnerability relating to COVID, but we are truly touched by all offers of help.

“She had an amazing day, and was so excited to have snow when she woke up. She played outside before opening any presents.”

Scores of people offered help with snow machines, visits from Disney princesses, soft play and even a magical photoshoot.

Isabella developed aggressive refractory epilepsy at the age of four years and nine months, just months after starting school at Twin Sails in Hamworthy.

She has since developed high medical needs and learning disabilities. Her condition cannot be controlled by medication and she was admitted to Southampton Hospital for treatment six times last year.

The most recent visit saw her admitted and placed in a coma on December 17. She was woken up on December 25 and spent further time in the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Allison told the Daily Echo: “Isabella has tried all NHS medication for her epilepsy, but there has been no management of her seizures.

“Life is very restrictive because of the unpredictable, life threatening clusters Isabella experiences.”