Millie Barker has one of the world's rarest genetic conditions which means a second skeleton is forming in her muscles. Bone is forming in her muscles. Eventually Millie will grow a second skeleton that will restrict her movement completely.

However, her brain continues to operate in the same mode. In other words rare genetic condition is slowly turning girl aged three into a human statue. Worried mum Lorraine Turner said: “The girl smiles more frequently and she adores dancing and playing with friends. Moreover, everything, even the smallest injury can increase the speed of the Millie’s bone growth.

“I want her to have as normal a childhood as possible but at the same time I want to wrap her up in cotton wool. If I had a pound for every time I’ve told her to slow down or take care, I would be a millionaire,” mum said.

Millie is one of just 40 people in the UK and 700 across the globe with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or simply FOP. Sufferers aren’t expected to live past 40 and there is no cure, although experts are working to discover one. There is no cure, although experts are working to discover one. friends and family have helped raise more than £5,000 to fund research. The University of Oxford is carrying out a major study to find a cure and has made big advances, but their work could take years.