Doctors delighted over boy's smile

Jake's mother said she had to look twice the first time he smiled

Doctors are delighted with the progress of a boy from Derbyshire who had pioneering surgery to enable him to smile.

Nine-year-old Jake Swift's family are now fundraising to pay for a second operation and hope it will be carried out early next year.

The youngster, from Chaddesden in Derby, was born with Moebius Syndrome - a rare disorder that causes facial paralysis.

He underwent pioneering surgery at the Birmingham children's hospital in June.

Second operation

Muscle was taken from his thigh and transplanted to the right corner of his mouth.

Jake's mother Caroline Swift said: "The first time he smiled we were sitting across from Burger King, and I had to look twice to see that it was Jake - smiling."

Jake's family want him to have the other side of his face done, possibly in January.

Mrs Swift said: "I think it's better for him to have it done earlier, at his age - rather than later.

"They seem to get over things when they're younger, rather than when they're older." > Well-wishers have already raised £2,000 for Jake.

They need to raise £10,000 to pay for his second operation, which will involve a surgeon coming over from Canada.