How little Mia who was told she'd never be able to walk continues to defy the odds

Video report by ITV News Meridian's Mary Stanley

A young girl from Hampshire has gone on to defy doctor's predictions that she would never be able to walk, and has hit the playground running.

Five-year-old Mia from Andover has been proving the medics wrong, racing around school with her friends.

Mia was born with two holes in her heart and spent months in and out of hospital. 

She was diagnosed with Joubert syndrome, which affects the development of the brain, speaking and mobility. Her family was told she wouldn't be able to walk.

Two year ago, she took her first steps using a walker.

The heart warming moment was filmed by her mum and watched millions of times online, which ITV News Meridian covered at the time.

Watch the moment Mia took her first steps

Now in Year 1 at Portway Infants School, ITV News Meridian returned to see how she was progressing. 

Her mum, Mollie Wincott, said: "I think she's such an amazing little girl and she is just really resilient.

"Nothing's ever bothered her, and I think that's what got her to where she is now, and I feel like I spent a lot of time being really disheartened, thinking that it would never happen. And now she surprises me every single day."

Mia has regular physiotherapy at school and at home, and some help with speech and language.

Daniel Banks, the Deputy Head of Portway Infants School said: "We're so lucky with Mia that she is such a fiercely independent and confident little girl and all credit to her family for everything they've done to bring her up and make her into this lovely and easygoing young lady.

"She's always prepared to give things a go. So while it was actually still very new that she was walking when she came to us, it didn't stop her getting out in the playground with her friends and it didn't stop her wanting to do everything the other children were doing.

"So for us, it's always been about facilitating that and giving her the opportunities to access them."

From being told she would never walk, Mia is running, taking up swimming lessons, and is part of the Rainbows.

With Mia's determination and with support, her family is now hopeful she can achieve anything.