A SIX-year-old girl from Latchford who was born with multiple holes in her heart is starring in a touching new advert alongside her teddy bear.

Mia Persoglio features in an ad campaign for Richmond sausages which tells the story of her battle with heart conditions and how her teddy Mr Pink was alongside her throughout the journey.

The six-year-old was born with multiple holes in the heart and thinning of the aorta, meaning she had to undergo three serious operations and spend many nights in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital before she reached the age of five.

Mum Natalie Persoglio said: “We were obviously devastated when we heard that our first baby would have so many problems and have to undergo such hard times.

“The operations have been hard and worrying, recovery has been devastatingly difficult at times but she has been so strong and the doctors and nurses have been amazing.”

Natalie, 36, bought Mr Pink from Paperchase when she was just five weeks old and Mia still sleeps with her favourite bear every night – but he went missing after one shopping trip to Bridge Street.

The Persoglios searched high and low but Mr Pink couldn’t be found anywhere, so they wrote a letter to Paperchase who managed to track him down – Mr Pink had been away on holiday and soon returned home to St Mary’s Street in a parcel.

Natalie, 36, said: “Mia was overjoyed to see that Mr Pink had made it home again – albeit a little bigger and fatter than he was before.

“A note in the parcel said that he had been on holiday and that’s why he was a little chubbier.

“He will be with her forever now but he isn’t allowed to go shopping anymore.”

Mia and Mr Pink are the stars of a new Christmas ad campaign for Richmond sausages, which features the chance to win ‘toy trackers’ to ensure that no other teddy bears go walkabout.

Natalie says her and husband Chris, 40, are delighted with the advert.

She added: “We love the advert, we’ve watched it more times than we can admit to – it makes me cry every time I see it.

“They’ve captured the story of Mia’s difficult start to life and her friendship with Mr Pink so well that it feels like they really understood what she went though.

“She is one of the strongest, kindest and funniest little girls that I know – she is brave and pushes herself, she’s in tune with people, seems to understand what you are feeling and is very loving.

“She makes me laugh every day and is best friends with her little sister Lyla.

“She is a truly special little girl who is a bundle of fun and full of love for the people around her – she is very active and full of life.”