AN inspiring young woman has refused to let anything defeat her, inspite of being struck by a virus which left her a coma before having to have her leg amputated.

Lilit Movsisyan, 19, stunned and inspired her family, friends and teachers at Brentside High School, Hanwell, after the virus attacked her heart on her way back from an interview at Oxford University last year. Inspite of being at death's door and now managing a mechanical leg, Lilit is determined to continue her career after Oxford University kept a place open for her this year.

She was nominated by Melanie Rosenblatt, who heads Brentside's Senior Leadership Team, who said: "There are many things about Lilit that make her stand out from the crowd: her musical talent and the duets she would play with her twin sister Anni at many school functions, her dedication and commitment to learning and achieving, a feature that inspired Oxford University to offer a place.

"But for the staff and students of Brentside High School, what makes Lilit stand out from the crowd is her amazing drive to aim high and refuse to be defeated by anything in her way. And what amazes me most is that after all this young woman has been through, I have only ever seen Lilit beam from ear to ear."

That smile never faded as Lilit spoke of the day her world crashed about her ears. She said: "I had gone for my interview in Oxford and while I was in the train I felt a bit weak and had to get off at Reading where I collapsed. I called mum, who thought maybe I had been drinking at my 18th birthday the day before, and an ambulance was called. I ended up in Reading hospital by which time I could hardly breathe."

Tests were carried out and she was referred to Harefield where she was diagnosed with myocarditis where a virus attacks the heart. She said: "They had to resuscitate me for 59 minutes - normally they only try for 30 - but they didn't want to give up on me."

She was on dialysis, then had a tracheotomy, was in a coma for two weeks and eventually had to have her leg amputated because of poor blood circulation which affected the muscles.

Lilit, from Hanwell, whose parents are from Iran, said: "They woke me up on January 3 to ask me if they could amputate my leg and said I would be more mobile if they did, otherwise I would just have to drag it around. I kept forgetting so they had to tell me again and again." She now has a mechanical leg, but is soon testing an electronic one and is amazingly philosophical about her ordeal.

She said: "It didn't seem real at first but I just get on with it because you just do. It's a bit frustrating at times but I am much better compared to how I was; I could hardly move, breathe or eat. I could just touch my chin with my finger.

"I would have been more upset had it been my arm or fingers as I play the piano and violin. It must have been much harder for my family as they didn't know if I would be brain-damaged or make it all but they have all been so supportive, especially my sister Anni and everyone at school has been fantastic. No one has ever made fun of me. People stop me in the street to ask about my leg. It doesn't bother me. This has brought me closer to people. I get lots of positives; I've learned a lot about people and appreciate life a bit more."