THE family of a youngster who lost her hands to meningitis are celebrating the birth of another girl.

Tilly Lockey, two, whose plight touched the hearts of people across the North-East, has a new sister, Lucy-Anna, who weighed 6lb 7oz when she was born at the University Hospital of North Durham, Durham City, on Monday.

The family launched an appeal to raise £20,000 to buy prosthetic hands for Tilly, whose hands were amputated and who lost all her toes.

The family have recently moved from Delves Lane, near Consett, to Tow Law, in County Durham.

Father Adam Lockey, 27, said: "It's great to have Lucy-Anna home and the family is so excited.

"The kids love her to bits and they keep bringing her toys and singing her lullabies. Tilly has been so excited about having a new sister, and she'll sometimes just sit and watch her."

Aged 17 months, Tilly contracted group B meningococcal septicaemia, for which there is no vaccination, and spent four weeks in Newcastle's General Hospital before being allowed to return home to her parents and sister, Tia, three. She then had to have the amputations.

A fundraising appeal was launched within a day, and donations ranged from £5 to £5,000.

Mr Lockey said: "Tilly is doing really well and she is now walking about quite happily. Her recovery is amazing.

"The birth of Lucy-Anna was emotional because, when Tilly first saw her sister, the first thing she noticed was that she had hands, and she has been stroking her fingers - she is clearly going to be a caring sister.

"Tilly is starting to realise she has no fingers and just says 'I want hands' or 'Where are my hands?'"

Mr Lockey, a teacher, and his wife, Sarah, hope their new baby will bring a little more normality to their children's lives.

Mrs Lockey, 28, said: "We don't want what has happened to change Tilly, and we think this baby might make her feel even less different.

"She will also now have a little sister to look after and play with."