LITTLE Kirsty Sawyer, whose sister was killed by a hit-and-run driver, is facing more surgery.

Kirsty was left fighting for her life and her sister, Rebecca, six, died when their family car was hit by a stolen vehicle driven by Ian Carr, in Ashington, Northumberland.

The youngster survived, but she will be forced to celebrate her second birthday in hospital.

Kirsty had been strapped into the back seat of the car next to Rebecca when it was rammed. The force of the impact threw Kirsty out of the vehicle and killed her sister on New Year's Eve.

After 12 weeks watching Kirsty recover from serious head injuries, parents Sharon and Steven Sawyer, both 33, are to take her to Leeds for a complex operation to try to restore movement in her left arm.

Doctors at St James' Hospital will remove nerves in her leg to try to replace those in her shoulder which were damaged during the crash.

Kirsty's grandmother, Linda Sawyer, 55, said: "The whole family is trying to keep very positive. We are hopeful about the procedure, it's all we can do."

Kirsty, of Ashington, continues to have physiotherapy but still cannot walk.

Grandparents Bob, 55, and Linda will travel to Leeds to support the family.

Kirsty, along with her sister and father, Steven, who was driving the family car, were taken to Wansbeck Hospital, Northumberland, where Rebecca died only minutes into the New Year.

The stolen Vauxhall Astra, driven by Ian Carr, went through a red light and smashed into Mr Sawyer's vehicle.

Carr, 27, also of Ashington, had 89 previous convictions and had been the subject of two life bans.

He was jailed for nine-and-a-half years in January after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.