Down's Syndrome teen plans London trip to watch friend

A DISABLED teenager who grew up singing songs with Over the Rainbow star Jenny Douglas is hoping to travel to support her in the BBC competition.

Joy Munro, 19, from the West End, is keeping her fingers crossed that Jenny, 18, makes it through tonight to the next stage in the talent contest so she can watch her in London next week.

Her mum, Bonnie, 52, said she will never forget the kindness Jenny gave her daughter, who has Down's Syndrome, when she was growing up – insisting the singer allowed Joy to feel like a "regular teenager" despite her condition.

She said: "She would do her hair, paint her nails, sing songs with her and dance.

"She gave my daughter the teenage years she wouldn't have otherwise had and I will always be thankful for that.

"Jenny is a wonderful girl and I am proud to know her. She will be in the show next week – I just know it."

Joy, a student at Stevenson College, first came into Jenny's life when she was nine years old.

Jenny's mum, Mary Douglas, 45, looked after her at weekends through her job as a carer, allowing Bonnie periods of respite.

Until she was 16, Joy was a regular at the Douglas household where she, Jenny and her friends would watch musicals, dress up and sing together.

Ms Munro said: "When I used to pick her up, she would have loads of stories to tell about what her and Jenny had been doing.

"Unfortunately, a lot of special needs children just don't have friends like this.

"Jenny would always include her and even help with her homework. Jenny has always been there for Joy and she will always tell people, 'Jenny is one of my best friends'."

As Mrs Douglas, from South Queensferry, makes her way to London today to see her daughter in tonight's show, Jenny told the Evening News last night she is "living the dream" every moment she remains in the competition.

She revealed tonight's performance will be "very different" to last week's, when she stole the show with her take on Pink's So What.

She said: "Things are just brilliant, but I am not going to say that it is not getting harder."

The former Tynecastle High School student said she treats every performance as if it is her last, aware that if she does not give everything she has, she could be saying farewell to the show.

She said: "I feel very nervous, but each week I give my best so that if I do leave, I go out on a high. I feel I am living the dream."