A three-month-old baby has undergone a unique heart transplant using a donor with a different blood group.

Michael Crawford is the first in Britain to undergo the mismatched transplant, giving hope to the dozens of others like him.

A team of surgeons at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital carried out the pioneering treatment as a last resort after a desperate search for a matching donor drew a blank.

And now, despite his new heart being only the size of a plum, he is making good progress after the operation saved him from certain death.

Michael was born on November 1 last year with a condition called cardiomyopathy, which meant his heart was too big to work properly.

At first he was treated with drugs but, in January, he became seriously ill and doctors decided a transplant was his only hope.

Because of his age and blood group the chances of finding a donor were thought to be millions to one.

His mother, Eleanor Salmon, said: "We knew he was seriously ill and were trying not to delude ourselves. We were told that chances were slim and there was a time when we thought we might have to say goodbye.

"But we never gave up hope, and when doctors told us about the mismatch transplant we decided we had to take the chance."

Doctors told Ms Salmon and her partner, Michael Crawford Snr, to expect the worst, but they were given a glint of hope when surgeons decided to try the pioneering technique.

Surgeon Asif Hasan 45, used a technique developed in Canada.

A donor heart became available in February after a baby died in a car smash, and staff decided to take up the offer even though it was the wrong blood group.

Mr Hasan said: "Performing the operation was very much a leap of faith for ourselves and for Michael's parents."

The operation proved a success, and not only was it unique to Britain, it made Michael the UK's second youngest heart swap baby.

Speaking from the family home in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Michael's delighted mother said: "It is a terrible position for any parent to be in, knowing someone else's baby has had to die for yours to have a chance of living.

'"We could never thank that family enough for what they have done for us."

Michael is now ten months old.