Somerset girl, 9, has to relearn to walk amid long Covid diagnosis

• Watch Victoria Davies' report

A nine-year-old girl has had to relearn to walk after suffering from long Covid for almost nine months.

Emily Saville, from Yeovil, has been unable to walk unaided ever since she was diagnosed with long Covid.

Now she has taken a petition down to Downing Street to urge Boris Johnson to recognise the problem.

Emily's mum Louise Saville told ITV News West Country: "She became ill with Covid, she was okay, she was a bit sniffy but nothing to worry about.

"Three days [later] all of a sudden she was in uncontrollable pain. She couldn't move without being in pain.

"She couldn't walk. She lost the use of her left leg. It was literally a second that changed her life forever."

Emily and her family expected 10 days of isolation would be the only inconvenience for the family.

But nine months later, Emily is still in pain and is suffering with gastric issues, hearing issues and sight issues.

The Department of Health says it has invested more than £50million into research.

But Emily has taken matters into her own hands. She has been raising money for the NHS by doing laps of her garden with the aid of a walking frame.

Emily's goal is to walk a whole lap of her garden unaided and to be able to get back to doing the things she loves doing such as dance.

Louise said: "The government needs to do more. We've got children who have no underlying health conditions who were well and fit before Covid and who are now in horrendous states.

"Life has completely changed for us as a family."

Doctors are not sure when Emily will get better but for now she is taking one determined step at a time.