Heather Mills Hailed an "Inspiration" on Dancing With the Stars  3/20/07

Heather Mills has been hailed an "inspiration" by Dancing With the Stars judges after her first performance on the US reality TV show.

The former model - who lost a leg when she was hit by a motorcycle in 1993 - scored an impressive 18 points after her foxtrot with dance partner Jonathan Roberts on the ABC show last night (19MAR07).

The score left Mills and Roberts mid-table in the competition.

She was given a standing ovation by sections of the studio audience after ending her dance with an ambitious high-kick.

And British judge Len Goodman took the opportunity to hail Mills' for competing with an artificial leg.

He said, "There was far more right about that routine than wrong. I think you are an inspiration to people to get out and dance."

Mills was marked down by judges for having a tense upper body throughout her dance. But the estranged wife of Sir Paul McCartney insists she was happy not to have fallen over.

She said after the dance, "I'm just glad I did not fall over. I thought I would be lowest so I am pleased."