A NORTH-EAST teenager whose heart transplant made medical history has talked about her future plans for the first time.

Fifteen years ago today, five-month-old Kaylee Davidson of Washington, Wearside, became the first child in the country to have a successful heart transplant.

It followed two failed attempts at Harefield Hospital.

Since she blazed a trail for other British youngsters in 1987 more than 100 other transplants have taken place.

Last night, the girl who was given a second chance at life by skilled surgeons at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital said she would like to work with young children when she leaves school.

"I really love kids. I am really keen on health and social care at school because I want to be a nursery nurse," she said.

Apart from a scar, regular check-ups and a daily handful of anti-rejection pills, Kaylee is just like any other teenager at Oxclose Community School, in Washington.

She loves "having a laugh" with her best friend Emma Thompson, of Stokesley, North Yorkshire, another heart transplant recipient, and mixing with other youngsters at the annual Transplant Games.

Kaylee said she would always be grateful to organ donors for helping others in need and urged as many people as possible to discuss organ donation with their families and join the organ donor register.

"If it wasn't for organ donors, I would not be here today," she said.

Her mother, Carol, said she can hardly believe it is 15 years since she was told her baby daughter would die without a heart transplant.

Six years ago Carol set up a support group to help other heart transplant families called Heart Transplant Families Together.

She is also involved in the Children's Heart Federation, which covers the UK and Ireland. She backed her eldest daughter in calling for maximum support for organ donation.

Yesterday, Kaylee was guest of honour at a big family party and later this month a 15th anniversary dinner dance will be held for child transplant patients and their families at a Newcastle hotel.

Neil Wrightson, a transplant co-ordinator at the Freeman, said there are currently three children on the hospital's heart transplant waiting list. "From April onwards this year, we have done four paediatric heart transplants. We did two in April, one in May, one in June but nothing since then. It is very hit and miss I'm afraid," he said.

Mr Wrightson said the Freeman usually carries out between eight and 12 child heart transplants per financial year.