Today was brave Molly-Ann Barnett's big day - as doctors began the bone marrow transplant that could give her the precious gift of life.

The six-year-old leukaemia sufferer was due to have the two-hour operation in the Bone Marrow Unit at St James's Hospital, Leeds.

Staff at Molly-Ann's father's firm in Pocklington said their thoughts were with her and her family today, but were confident that all would be well.

The plight of the little girl from Hessle, near Hull, touched the hearts of thousands of people who came forward as potential donors after a national appeal to find someone who matched her rare tissue type.

Eventually a donor was found in the USA, and the bone marrow cells were brought across the Atlantic to Leeds last night.

Her father Paul, who is managing director of VMS Ltd in Pocklington, described how Molly-Ann had been doing well yesterday in the hours leading up to the transplant.

He said: "Molly's had a nice day today, her cheeky, cheerful disposition is back and she has played quite happily all day.

"She received loads of lovely letters from the children at Hessle Mount School and Molly loved looking at all the pictures they had drawn for her."

A spokeswoman for St James's Hospital said following the transplant, Molly-Ann would be recovering in a sterile, isolated room in the Bone Marrow Unit for up to eight weeks.

Paul and Molly-Ann's mother Mandy will be staying with her in the isolation unit.

Alison Wood, of VMS Ltd, said staff there had sent a message of support to the family.

"We are all on tenterhooks here - but we know it's going to work," she added.