Miracle baby Dee-Ann Short, who weighed only 1lb 8oz at birth, bounced around happily yesterday as she celebrated her first birthday at a family party.

She was the centre of attention as her parents started a new life with her in Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, Co Durham. Her mother, Kerry Short, 35, said, "She was so tiny that we feared she would not survive.

"It is wonderful to see how she had turned into a normal size for her age."

Dee-Ann was born seven weeks prematurely in South Africa, where Mrs Short and her husband, Toby, had lived for several years, but they have now decided they can have a better future in Britain.

At the birthday party yesterday were the baby's grandmother, Patsy Prewitt, of Stainton Grove and her great-grandmother Daphne O'Shea, of Billingham.

Dee-Ann was so small at first that normal baby clothes were far too big for her, so Mrs Prewitt bought dolls' clothes from a toy shop in Barnard Castle and posted them to South Africa.

They fitted perfectly for the early weeks of her life until she was big enough to wear clothes designed for small babies.

Mrs Prewitt said yesterday: "When I see this lively girl bouncing around now and having great fun, it is hard to realise that she had to wear dolls' clothes less than a year ago. It was a miracle that she survived in the first place, but it seems even more of a miracle that she has now grown so well."

Mrs O'Shea cuddled Dee-Ann as she said, "This is one great-grandchild I never expected to see. She is absolutely lovely."