THIS TIME last year, little Charlotte Nott’s parents feared the worst.

The three-year-old had been struck down with an aggressive form of meningitis and doctors were not sure she would pull through.

But now, just 12 months on, and the little girl is fighting fit and looking forward to her fourth Christmas.

Charlotte lost all four of her lower limbs as doctors at the John Radcliffe Hospital battled to save her from the fatal illness.

But the determined toddler has not let that get in the way of her fun, and has learned to walk and play with her friends and favourite toys without them.

Mother Jenny Daniels, 29, who is expecting her third child with partner Alex Nott, in January, said: “Charlotte’s really looking forward to Christmas and she is excited about her presents.

“She has been feeling quite unwell recently so we are just going to try to have a lovely day with the family.

“Thinking back to this time last year can be quite upsetting but there is no one day which makes us feel sad.

“We stay positive.”

Charlotte, who has a little brother, George, aged two, first became ill on December 10 last year.

Miss Daniels said she first noticed something was desperately wrong with her daughter when she could not wake her up.

She discovered a rash on her chest, and called paramedics after carrying out the ‘glass test’, where a glass is applied to the rash to see if it disappears under pressure.

Doctors in the intensive care unit of Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital worked around the clock to stop the disease from spreading, but after five days Charlotte’s fingers and toes had turned black.

She was suffering from multiple organ failure.

Later doctors decided that her arms must be removed below the elbows and her legs amputated below the knees to halt the disease.

Since we first reported on Charlotte’s battle in the Oxford Mail in January, readers have donated to her appeal in their droves for new specially-crafted limbs.

Cake sales, bungee jumps and half marathons have been carried out in the little girl’s name, all by people who have been so touched by her story they have felt compelled to help in any way they can.

But more is needed if Charlotte’s family are ever to reach the £40,000 they want to raise to ensure she can continue to live her life to the full.

Miss Daniels said: “Charlotte will always need support, right in to her adult years.

“The fund we have set up for her is not just for the limbs we need now, but when she is older and outgrows them.”

Miss Daniels and a friend raised more than £350 for the Oxford Children’s Hospital with a cake sale last month.

She will use the money to buy items for the wards where Charlotte was cared for as a thank-you to staff and to help other children who are unwell at Christmas this year.

  • To donate to Charlotte’s appeal, email charlottesappeal@hotmail.co.uk