A 14-year-old girl who has overcome great adversity has come up on top after winning a prize at Crufts.

Layla Kececi from Chingford and her four-year-old Jack Russell cross Shitz Tzu Indie, were awarded three awards, including the Young Braveheart of the Year prize at the notorious dog show.

This was her first time at the competition held at the Birmingham NEC from March 6 to 10.

Miss Kececi said: "I was so happy to have been able to qualify to go to crufts for the first time and am ecstatic to have won the overall winner of crossbreed of the year the very first one ever at crufts.

"It is now a week later and it has only just sunk in.

"I did not even expect to qualify but instead walked home with three awards.

"It is all the more special to have won with Indie as the bond we share is amazing."

Miss Kececi won three awards during the competition: the Crossbreed of the Year, the Small Crossbreed of the Year and the Young Braveheart award.

The Young Braveheart of the Year award is given to young people who have overcome personal barriers with their dog to achieve success.

She was awarded the Young Braveheart award after being born with bilateral hip dysplasia, leading her to have nine operations leaving her depressed as she could not do things like other children.

She was wheelchair-bound for two years when she was younger which led to low confidence.

However, this all changed when Miss Kececi's mother Debbie Read decided to buy rescue dog Indie.

Ms Read said: "Indie was a rescue that needed a home and I thought it would be nice for Layla to have this kind of focus on something.

"As Layla always puts it, they rescued each other which is lovely. She always says that.

"She was absolutely ecstatic when she won the awards. She was overjoyed to have won two of the Crossbreed competitions and the Young Braveheart award, especially as it was her first time attending Crufts.

"We are hoping to qualify again for next year, but it will not beat this year because it was just so amazing.

"I'm just so incredibly proud of her."

Miss Kececi received the necessary handing advice and training from High Beech Dog Training Club in Loughton, Essex, which she has attended for two years.