A nine-year-old Everton fan who underwent a major five-hour operation on both legs had a day to remember on Saturday as she walked out as a mascot alongside her favourite player Dominic Calvert-Lewin before the Blues' game against Arsenal.

Emilia, who has cerebral palsy, first met striker Calvert-Lewin in August when he visited her just days after she underwent a bilateral femoral derotation and calf lengthening operation – a surgical procedure to correct her leg bones and joints.

At that initial meeting, Emilia, a keen dancer, made the tough promise that by the next time she saw Calvert-Lewin she would be able to walk.

At Everton's annual Christmas visit to Alder Hey in early December, Emilia surprised Calvert-Lewin by greeting him and the team on their arrival to show the huge improvement she has made in just four months thanks to hours of intensive physiotherapy.

Proud Emilia walked to Calvert-Lewin and said, "I told you I'd do it,” before hugging her hero.

Emilia then received a surprise of her own when Calvert-Lewin told her she would be a mascot for the visit of the Gunners.

Emilia said at the time: "Dom's just really nice and he's got a nice heart. I really enjoyed seeing him. He was trying to explain it [about being a mascot] to me but he didn't explain it very well! But then mum explained it a little bit better what I'm actually going to do.”

On Saturday, Emilia met Dominic pitchside before the game and got to watch the team warm up.

She then walked out proudly onto the pitch as a mascot alongside Calvert-Lewin, before having her photograph taken in the centre circle.

"He [Calvert-Lewin] said when he first met Emilia in hospital, ‘We'll get you walking out on that pitch’ and she's never let that go," explained Emilia's mum, Michelle. "She’s been so determined.”

Watch a video of Emilia realising her mascot dream above or by clicking here.