Girl born with a tennis ball-sized birthmark on her leg can run and skip for the first time Nicole Cloke, now 5, was born with a congenital haemangioma birthmark - a tumour made up of deformed blood vessels just underneath her skin Her mother, Gemma, 26, worried she wouldn't lead a normal, active life After 2 years of treatment using creams, the blood vessels of the birthmark have shrunk, meaning Nicole she can run for the first time By Lucy Laing When Nicole Cloke, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, was born with a birthmark the size of a tennis ball on her leg, her mother feared she would never live a normal life. For five years Nicole watched as her friends led active lives, but after intensive treatment she has finally been able to run, jump and hop for the first time. Gemma Chick, 26, a full-time mother, and her fiance Jamie Cloke, 27, were shocked when Nicole was born in April 2008 with the birthmark on her leg. Nicole Cloke, with mother Gemma, was born with a birthmark the size of a tennis ball on her leg. Now, after intensive treatment, she is finally able to run, jump and hop for the first time She was suffering from a congenital haemangioma birthmark, a cluster of deformed blood vessels just underneath her skin. Miss Chick said: "As soon as she was born, the midwife handed her to Jamie and as he held her I could see the panic on his face. The midwife then sat down on the bed next to me and broke the news to me that she had a birthmark on her leg. I was so upset when I saw it. It was such a shock. Giving birth to our first baby was meant to be such a happy occasion but it was so overwhelming for her to have such a huge birthmark like this. Nicole was referred to the birthmark clinic at Great Ormond Street where doctors said they were confident they could treat it. Miss Chick said: "They said they had never seen anything quite like it before, but they were confident they would be able to treat it. It was the size of a purple tennis ball on the side of her leg. But I was so upset about it. I dreaded taking her to baby and toddler clinics as when I walked in I could see the shocked faces of the other mothers. They all had perfect babies and they were staring at my baby. I really lost my confidence about taking her out anywhere. Nicole started sclerotherapy treatment, a procedure using creams to shrink the blood vessels of the birthmark, when she was three, when the growth had slowed down. It has now shrunk the birthmark to such an extent that it is barely visible. Nicole started sclerotherapy treatment, a procedure using creams to shrink the blood vessels of the birthmark, when she was three. The birthmark is now barely visible and she can run for the first time And four months ago, Miss Chick got the biggest surprise of her life when Nicole ran into see her and started jumping on the spot. Miss Chick said: "Nicole came running into see me a few months ago and said "mummy, I've got a surprise for you. She was running and jumping on the spot. It brought tears to my eyes. To see her run and jump like that, it's something I never thought she would be able to do. The years of intensive treatment have finally paid off, and she can do the things that all her friends can do at last. Nicole, who now leads a normal life thanks to five years of treatment, pictured with her brother Jack, two She had never been able to run properly or jump before because of her birthmark, it's something that she has never learned to do. When I saw her do it for the first time, I just burst into tears. It was so amazing to see my little girl run and jump for the first time. 'Now she's getting better and better at it and is coming on in leaps and bounds. I'm so proud of her. She calls it her special leg, but its so much better now. There are still traces of the birthmark on the back of her leg, but from a distance you can't tell that she even has one now. And to see her running and jumping about like any little girl is the best thing ever. I feel like the luckiest mum in the world when I see her. I was devastated for her when she was born with it, but it shows that she can achieve anything. A congenital haemangioma is a tumour made up of thickened skin any many thin-walled blood vessels. They are unique because they are fully grown at birth, do not grow after birth, and many shrink much faster than haemangiomas. They may be diagnosed on a prenatal ultrasound. They are raised and usually pink to blue in colour with pale skin around them. They feel warmer to the touch than the rest of the body. There are two types of congenital haemangioma: A rapidly involuting congenital haemangioma (RICH) - this shrinks during the first year of life, and may be completely gone by 18 months old. Non-involuting congenital haemangiomas (NICH) are fully developed at birth, and do not shrink. For more information, see birthmarksupportgroup.org.uk