SOPHIE Aldred recently became a UK first after having a new pair of "ears".

The 23-year-old was born with moderate hearing loss and after years of grommets, hearing aids and getting regular infections in her ears, she has had a bi-lateral bonebridge implant fitted, meaning that she can hear properly for the first time in her life.

The implant has been available to patients for about four years and is an effective solution for people who are unable to tolerate using hearing aids.

They sit behind the ear and transmit sound waves via the cranial bone directly to the inner ear.

Fitted by Kevin Green, a consultant otolaryngologist and implantation otologist at Manchester Royal Infirmary last year, Miss Aldred is the first in the UK to have two implants and says it has been life changing.

Miss Aldred, who used to live in Astley Bridge but now lives in Bury, said: "I was so excited when I was told my operation date that I bought a bottle of champagne.

"I have moderate hearing loss. I can hear someone speaking if they're in front of me but I couldn't hear things like birds tweeting or church bells in the background – but I can now.

"Since having the implants fitted I feel like I have opened up a whole new world of sound."

Her hearing problems were detected when she was three years old.

Miss Aldred said: "When I was about three my mum realised that I had problems with my ears so I went to the hospital and was told I had glue ear. The doctors told me I'd grow out of it, but I never did.

"I had grommets fitted up until I was 12. They are meant to stay in but if anything gets in my ears I get infections and wouldn't be able to hear at all. Even hearing aids give me infections.

"Four years ago I had a mastoidectomy in my left ear to create air pockets meaning that the infections would be less frequent, but unfortunately it didn't work.

"I had good friends when I was at school and growing up but it was difficult because I had a lot of time off and had to sit at the front of the class because I couldn't hear the teachers. I didn't do as well as I could have because of the time I missed.

“My hearing problems have caused a problem with work in the past too — I have worked as a sales assistant, a bank and a child support agency but due to infections I have not been able to stay long term, so it really affects my life."

At her wits' end, last year Miss Aldred asked her doctor if there was an alternative to hearing aids.

She said: "It took ages to get the implants. I kept having too much time off work due to the infections and had to keep going in and out of hospital.

"I was finally referred by my doctor to Manchester Royal Infirmary last year where they told me about bonebridge, which is a new procedure. I straight away said I would like to have them.

"I carried on using hearing aids before finally having my first implant in June last year. The second followed in December and it has been life-changing.

"Since the operations I have had a few headaches as my body adjusts but I'm told that's normal. Once I'm fully recovered and am used to my new ears I want to give something back by doing a British Sign Language course at Communicate Bury and hopefully go on to help people who are deaf or have hearing loss."

Miss Aldred's surgeon Kevin Green said: "Most people think that hearing loss is just in the elderly, but it affects young people too.

"Sophie has had two implants fitted and is the first in the country to have that done. The devices are implanted into the bone in the skull behind the ears and a couple of screws are used to secure them to the bone. It has an outside part that picks up sound through a magnet. That converts sound sent into little vibrations that go to the cochlea and the patient is able to hear.

"The procedure has been going for about three or four years now and is ideal for people who can't use hearing aids because they get infections, like Sophie. The operation only lasts about an hour and the results for Sophie have been very positive."