OVERJOYED parents Jennifer and Graham Kenny have had all their Christmas wishes come true after their baby survived major surgery that has saved her life.

The couple feared 10-month-old Sophie would not live to see her first Christmas after being diagnosed with a rare form of spina bifida.

The condition meant she had a growth on her spine containing toxic fluids that could prove deadly if not removed.

A top surgeon at Birmingham's Diana, Princess of Wales, Children's Hospital performed pioneering surgery to remove the lump, after first learning how to do the procedure by reading about it on the internet.

Jennifer and Graham, of Tolladine Road, Worcester, were told the operation was very risky - but vital.

The lump contained nerves and, if they were damaged in the operation, Sophie could have been left paralysed from the waist down.

The Evening News reported earlier this month that Sophie's operation had been cancelled twice due to a shortage of beds.

Jennifer, a 29-year-old full-time mother, and Graham, 37, a self-employed parcel carrier, feared the delay could put their daughter's life in danger, as she needed to have the surgery before the age of one to stand a fighting chance.

Then on Sunday, December 5, Sophie, the couple's only child, was operated on and the five hours of surgery proved to be successful.

"After the operation Sophie was on morphine for three days because of the pain and had to lie on her front to make sure no dangerous fluids went to her brain,'' said Jennifer.

"But after four days she wanted to get up and I was so relieved when I could pick her up for the first time after the operation.

"By the fifth day she was crawling around and the doctors said they were really happy with her recovery.

"We're so happy and so proud of Sophie. She's such a little fighter and she keeps smiling through it all."

Sophie is now home and well and ready to enjoy her first Christmas.

"The surgeon said none of the nerves were damaged but we won't know whether she will be able to walk until she starts to try to," said Jennifer.

"But she's crawling around, which apparently is a good sign.

"We're just looking forward to Christmas and spoiling her rotten."