Ellie's stage dream comes true

The 11-year-old Anston Greenlands Junior and Infant School pupil assumed her role as Queen Hippolyta in her school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Tuesday night—less than three months after the accident that almost claimed her life.

It fulfils a second vow made on her road to recovery after fulfilling her promise to return home to Victoria Street, Dinnington, for her birthday on June 3.

Her mum, Beverley, said: “It was very emotional to see her up on stage with her friends.

“Two months ago she vowed to still be part of the play but to be there and watch her deliver her lines was amazing.

“She’s an inspiration.”

Ellie spent eight hours fighting for her life after she sustained a fractured skull, broken left leg and serious damage to the skin on her left foot when she stepped into the path of a blue Volvo travelling along Nursery Road, Dinnington, in April.

Almost three months on, she remains confined to a wheelchair but was helped on stage by her mum for Tuesday’s performance and delivered her lines to an audience of 100 people from a throne especially created by her schoolmates.

Claire Hix, a teaching assistant at Greenlands School, said: “Ellie really is a little miracle. She’s amazing and she did a wonderful job.

“It was great to see her living her dream of being on stage with all her friends.”

Tuesday also saw Ellie celebrating the results of her SATs tests, which she insisted on sitting while under the influence of morphine, in her bed at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, just four weeks after her accident.

Brave Beverley revealed: “The best results she could have got were level fives and she got all level fours. Considering she took her tests under the influence of morphine, that’s pretty amazing. We’re so proud of her.”

Pupils from every year were involved in Greenlands School’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was performed to packed audiences on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning and Wednesday night.

Youngsters created sets, served refreshments and organised a raffle for each performance and proceeds will be donated to Oxfam’s famine relief fund.

Mrs Hix added: “All the children have done a fantastic job. The production’s been a huge success.”