DANIELLE Langston said she felt like a princess as she went for a ride in a limousine to celebrate her third birthday.

But Danielle's family do not know how many more birthdays she will have because of the six serious defects in her tiny heart.

Danielle and her family were offered the birthday treat after a friend heard that the youngster might not live long enough to go to school.

Paul Mapplethorpe, of Park South, met Danielle's parents Julie and Robin at a friend's party and decided to do everything he could to help them pack her short life with as many special experiences as possible.

Paul, who gave up being a limo driver to set up Lyneham MOT Station, appealed to Krystal Limos to lend him a car for a few hours.

"I used to own this limo," he said. "But I sold it to a mate of mine.

"When I heard about Dani and read about her helicopter ride in the Adver I called him up and asked to borrow it back for the afternoon. Dani is a great little girl and everyone loves her. I am delighted to be able to help her parents out and do something nice for her."

Danielle, who turns three tomorrow, was desperate to go for the ride of a lifetime in a chopper and the Advertiser arranged for Nightingale Hotel boss Paul Cripps to take her for a flight last month.

Danielle, her sisters Tanya, 14, and Sophie, 12, 18-month-old brother Mick, and her parents all enjoyed the luxurious surroundings on their way to see grandparents Mick and Barbara Langston, who live in Wantage.

"I am going in a limo to see nanny and grandad," said Danielle."

My daddy is putting my seat in the back and I feel like a princess."

Julie, 38, said she had been overwhelmed by the generosity people had shown them after hearing about her heart condition.

"When Paul offered the limo ride I couldn't believe it," Julie said.

"Dani has been so excited about it. She has been running around all morning wanting to get going.

"It is my dad's birthday just after hers, so we are going to go and deliver his birthday present. Then we are all going to go out for dinner to celebrate.

"She has shown everyone the pictures and video of her in the helicopter. And we have put all the pictures together onto a disk to keep forever."

Danielle gets tired more quickly than other children of her age and Julie has to keep a constant look out for signs of heart failure.

She has already had four major operations at Oxford's John Radcliffe hospital and has been given the go-ahead for more open-heart surgery in the autumn.