Girl, 8, dreams of being gymnast after receiving superhero-themed bionic arm
An eight-year-old girl has said she dreams of being a gymnast (and a tennis player, artist and teacher) after receiving a new superhero-themed bionic arm.
Safiyyah Uddin, from east London, was born without a left hand but despite this, she has not let anything hold her back, according to her mother Shelenaz Khanom.
But due to developments in technology, Safiyyah is now able to use a bionic arm, and hers is complete with a bright pink Gwen Stacy Spider-Woman cover.
The prosthetic was created just over a year ago by Open Bionics, a Bristol-based company that specialises in creating cheaper, 3D-printed bionic arms for amputees – known as the Hero Arm.
Safiyyah and mum Shelenaz say the arm is ‘incredible’
Safiyyah is one of the first to wear her arm with the Spider-Man character cover, part of a new range that the company created after partnering with the likes of Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm.
Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News Breakfast, Safiyyah proudly showed off how, with the help of the prosthetic, she can throw a tennis ball, hold open a notepad, and use a ruler to draw straight lines.
When asked whether she would like to put her tennis skills into practice as a professional player when she is older, Safiyyah replied: “Yeah,” quickly adding that she also wants to be “an artist, and a teacher, and a gymnast and a cheerleader”.
Saffiyah drawing a line with the help of her Hero Arm
“Since she has had it, she has said she can do things with both of her arms now, she can use both of her hands simultaneously,” Ms Khanom said.
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“It has just been such an amazing journey and we have had such a blast with this new Spider-Man cover. She can really show off.”
‘Opened so many doors’
The bionic arm works using sensors in the prosthetic that detect movements in muscles, allowing the fingers to open and close and the wrist to turn 180 degrees.
Prosthetic arm grabbing tennis ball
“During my early pregnancy, I was informed she was going to be born with a missing left hand, there wasn’t any cause, as a parent learning she would be missing a limb really affected me,” Ms Khanom added.
“For a while, I kept doing things with one hand, imagining how she would cope and be able to do things.
“But ever since she was born to see how incredible she was is so inspirational. She has taught me so much.
“I think it has just opened up so many doors for her.”
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
Read more:
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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