A DEAF teenager has received a letter from 10 Downing Street after writing to raise concerns about face masks.

Emma Church, 13, from Chipping Norton, sent Prime Minister Boris Johnson a letter and a homemade see-through face mask, similar to the one she uses.

The letter urged Mr Johnson to introduce clear face masks across the country, and even wear one himself.

Face masks make lip-reading and the understanding of facial expressions difficult, leaving deaf people struggling to understand what is being said to them.

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Now, Emma has received a reply from 10 Downing Street, which reads: “The Prime Minister greatly appreciates your thought and the mask was very well made.

“We have had a number of companies offer clear masks which will hopefully be available to the public soon, alongside the multiple existing vendors selling them on the internet.”

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Emma’s mum, Elizabeth, said: “We read the letter together and I have to be honest, there were tears in my eyes when I read ‘your attitude is brilliant and your hearing loss neither defines you nor will prevent you from achieving whatever you want in life’.

“Now that face masks have to be worn in school corridors and to and from school, they are causing Emma a lot of hardship.

“Emma cannot hear when her friends are talking to her when wearing their masks.”

The Chipping Norton School pupil has even made clear face masks for her teachers, while campaigning for the use of see-through masks.

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Beccy Forrow, campaigning and activism lead for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Emma’s commitment to the Keep it Clear campaign has been fantastic – and it’s great to see that her efforts have led to a response from Government.

“However, we need to see more action from the Government on this issue, warm words aren’t enough.

“Until good quality, clear masks can be bought easily on the high street, deaf children like Emma are being failed.

“Along with better deaf awareness, clear masks are vital to making sure that deaf children aren’t left feeling isolated and alone during this pandemic.”