Shoshana Pavett, a strong singer who was set to go to a top music college, has scoliosis, an 'S' shaped curvature of the spine.

After years of pain and self-consciousness, the 18-year-old was told her only chance of relief was a major operation.

But this, crucially, meant cutting through her diaphragm and possibly ruining any chance of singing again.

But after having sessions at a leading clinic in Suffolk – Scoliosis SOS – Miss Pavett, from Deanshanger, is this month able to begin her course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

She has now advised other scoliosis sufferers to look at all the options before choosing surgery.

She said: "When my mum found out there was another way that would still allow me to sing, I was unbelievably relieved.

"I had just been through my audition for college and this operation could have destroyed everything.

"If it wasn't for the clinic, I'd still be in terrible pain and I'd have never sung another note."

Miss Pavett now has to do half an hour of exercises each night to maintain the effects.

Although the exercises cannot straighten the spine, they can train the surrounding muscles to support it, which gives better posture, reduces back asymmetry and relieves pain.

She said: "The doctors present the operation as the easy way out, but it's not that simple. Once you have had it, you can't go back.

"I would say to people in my situation: do the research and find out what your options are."

Erika Maude, principal and founder of Scoliosis SOS, said: "There is no cure for scoliosis. Surgery can straighten the spine, but leaves scarring.

"It doesn't always control or alleviate pain but can, instead, sometimes increase it."