A toddler critically injured in a hit and run car smash that left her six-year-old sister dead has amazed doctors with her powers of recovery.

Six-year-old Rebecca Sawyer was killed when a stolen car driven by Ian Carr jumped a red light and smashed into her dad's Citroen Saxo on New Year's Eve.

Her sister, Kirsty, twenty months, was left fighting for her life after the smash when she was thrown from the mangled wreckage of the car.

Her parents Steven and Sharon were devastated and after losing one daughter they were left praying that Kirsty would pull through.

Now following weeks in intensive care and surgery to remove her spleen, Kirsty is on the long road to recovery and has given hope to her family.

Dad, Steven, 33, said: "Words can't describe what it means to us. There was a time when we thought we were going to lose Kirsty as well.

"She is a fighter and she is starting to pull through. When we lost Rebecca we lost everything - but Kirsty has given us hope to hang on to."

Steven was returning home on New Year's Eve when they were hit by the stolen Astra driven by Ian Carr which had jumped a red light.

Rebecca was rushed to Wansbeck General Hospital but doctors were unable to save her.

Carr, 27, was eventually arested after a police swoop following an emotional appeal by Kirsty's parents.

And it was revealed that he had previously been jailed for causing death by wreckless driving when he was just 15 after he smashed up a stolen car and left his best friend Mark Wren to die by the side of the road. He also has 89 previous convictions.

The family don't yet know if they will attend court on Friday to see Carr sentenced after pleading guilty to causing Rebecca's death by dangerous driving and a string of other driving offences.