PARALYMPIC fever has changed Ellie May Challis’s life.

Ellie, eight, from Clacton, lost both her legs to meningitis aged 16 months and walks on blades identical to the ones used by Paralympian Oscar Pistorius.

Her dad, Paul Challis, says the public’s perception of Ellie has altered, thanks to London 2012.

He said: “The Paralympics has changed everything. Before if people saw Ellie they would just watch her until she disappeared out of sight.

“Now it’s a glimpse and they just say, ‘there’s a little girl on mini blades’.”

Ellie met South African sprint legend Pistorius three years ago when she became the youngest person in the world to be fitted with hi-tech carbon fibre blades.