See the hilarious moment this proud dad had his legs waxed after losing a bet to his brave daughter who faces a daily health battle

Proud dad Paul O’Donovan, from Hartlepool, promised his daughter Lyla, seven, that she could wax his legs but only if she reached 10,000 followers on Instagram.

Lyla did it within four months and dad Paul had to go through the painful waxing experience at the weekend.

But it was worth it to see his daughter’s joy at reaching such a huge social media milestone.

Just before the leg waxing went ahead, he posted: “I have not told Lyla yet as she’s in bed but she will be over the moon for two reasons ... knowing there’s 10,000 people that want to support her in what Lyla is doing and she’ll be so happy for that.

"The second is I told her if she gets to 10,000 I’ll let her wax my legs. I thought it would be a funny thing for her to do at the time, but now she’s there I am canny scared!”

Paul, also dad to Henry, Olivia, Lilley and Reece, documents Lyla’s ups and downs on the Facebook page Lyla's Brain Tumour Journey.

Her courage has helped many people going through hard times themselves, and Lyla and Lilley have awarded hundreds of their own certificates to them.

Paul told how another Hartlepool hero had played a huge part in helping Lyla to achieve her social media milestone.

"We had a conversation with a friend and they said that when Lyla gets to 10,000 followers you need to shave your legs.“Me being daft, I said yes.”

But then town boxer Savannah Marshall helped by offering a pair of signed Tyson Fury shorts as a ‘giveaway’ on Lyla’s page. In return, people had to like, share and tag their own friends in their post.

Paul added: “When Savannah Marshal posted the giveaway for Lyla, her page grew so much.”

It was a special moment for a brave girl who has faced a health fight for years. Lyla has been battling with a brain tumour for four years.

Lyla has had ten operations on her brain so far and six of them have been at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

The seven-year-old has also come through meningitis, been treated for hydrocephalus and had a shunt put into her head, all in the last four years.

Lyla’s latest surgery at Newcastle’s RVI hospital on Friday, May 22, was carried out to try to reduce the number of dangerous and frightening seizures she regularly suffers.

She has been so brave throughout her health fight that she has won a very special medal from the Army regiment in which her dad serves.

And Lyla’s recognition from the Army has not been her only award.

She was also chosen as a Child of Courage at last year’s Best of Hartlepool Awards.

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